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The US government has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Revealing the measures on this week, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the conflict in Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group linked to horrific war crimes such as ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries first came to light the previous year, following an report which revealed that over three hundred ex-military personnel had been recruited to fight – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary remarked that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Named Entities

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. 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 restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque engaged in several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the final person to be penalized, with the entity she oversaw accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Reaction

An expert, from a conflict think tank, called the sanctions as a "highly important" step, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and change national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The Emirati government has been widely accused of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.