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The US government has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies alleged of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the American treasury stated the network was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction implicated in terrible atrocities encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light last year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Activities in Sudan

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and former army officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States associated with Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Reaction

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "major" milestone, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, aiming to curb years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and transform its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.