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The US government has levied restrictions on a network of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group implicated in terrible atrocities such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, prompted by an inquiry which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been contracted to fight – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the Colombians have allegedly instructed underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government accused him a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

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

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the warring parties," the department announced.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

Furthermore, the Colombian government ratified a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and reshape its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.