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The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a group accused of horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, prompted by an report which revealed that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer located in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the sanctions as a "major" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

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

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.