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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

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

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, after an report which found that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The US authorities accused him a central role in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the department stated.

Reaction

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "highly important" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a law ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.