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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Disclosing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary previously stated that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The Treasury accused him a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the department stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "major" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government ratified a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.