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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of four people and four firms accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters was first uncovered last year, after an investigation which revealed that over three hundred former soldiers had been hired to engage in combat – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The government alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated alleged to have wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" step, stating that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia recently passed a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.