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The US government has imposed sanctions on a network of four people and four firms charged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction linked to terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, prompted by an inquiry which disclosed that more than 300 former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that led to an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the Colombians have allegedly instructed minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a key part in recruiting and deploying ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the department stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

She added that, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.