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The Washington has levied restrictions on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on this week, the American treasury stated the operation was primarily made up of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in horrific war crimes including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Revelation of Role

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light the previous year, following an report which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an revelation that led to an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier located in the UAE. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "major" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

She added that, the Colombian government recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.