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The United States has enforced penalties on a network of four people and four firms charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group linked to severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light in 2024, following an investigation which revealed that hundreds of retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret 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 acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have allegedly instructed child soldiers, provided drone warfare training, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer based in the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was 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, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

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

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in international fights and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.