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The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of several persons and entities alleged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the RSF paramilitary group, a force linked to terrible atrocities encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, prompted by an report which revealed that more than 300 retired troops had been hired to participate in the war – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have reportedly trained underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

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

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "very significant" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a statute approving the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

Another expert, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.