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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting South American contractors to support and educate a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the network was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force implicated in severe violations including targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged last year, prompted by an report which disclosed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, US-based firms linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "major" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.