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The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the network was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, following an report which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been contracted to fight – an revelation that prompted an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "awful and crazy" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The Treasury said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "very significant" development, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.