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The United States has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies accused of hiring Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Revelation of Role

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, after an investigation which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the contractors have been accused of teaching child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source previously stated that training children was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The government said he had a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business implicated in processing money and salaries for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the belligerents," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "very significant" step, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.