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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged in 2024, following an investigation which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

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

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "very significant" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and reshape national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.