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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a armed faction in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in horrific war crimes such as massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged the previous year, following an investigation which found that hundreds of retired troops had been contracted to fight – an event that resulted in an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government said he had a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his companies.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.