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The US government has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an discovery that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated ran a firm implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury stated.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" development, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in international fights and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.