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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of several persons and entities alleged of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, following an inquiry which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.