Washington Levies Restrictions on Operation Accused of Funneling South American Mercenaries to the Sudanese Conflict.

The US government has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Disclosing the measures on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to terrible atrocities such as ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, prompted by an report which found that over three hundred retired troops had been contracted to participate in the war – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Former Colombian military have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the Dubai. The Treasury said he had a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated ran a firm linked to handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions linked to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "major" step, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a statute ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.