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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring South American contractors to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered the previous year, after an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, training on Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The government said he had a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, worth millions," the government release said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency announced.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a statute approving the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and change national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.