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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to terrible atrocities including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered the previous year, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, training on advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the network. "Recently, American entities connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "highly important" step, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.