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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to managing finances and payments for the network. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated alleged to have money transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing financial and military support to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.