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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light in 2024, prompted by an report which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The government said he had a central role in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "major" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.