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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, after an inquiry which disclosed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States connected to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the government release noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted money transfers linked to Duque and his companies.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the agency announced.

Reaction

Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, called the actions as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and reshape domestic defense strategy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It’s an illicit economy and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.