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The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of four individuals and four companies alleged of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Revealing the restrictions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction accused of horrific war crimes such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, after an inquiry which found that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Former Colombian military have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, US-based firms connected to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges foreign parties to cease providing monetary and weaponry aid to the warring parties," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "highly important" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," McFate warned.