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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of acts of genocide.

Network Composition

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have allegedly journeyed to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of severe violations such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, following an investigation which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to fight – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Dubai. The government alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say managed a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, called the actions as a "major" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá recently passed a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.