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The United States has levied restrictions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of hiring former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Numerous of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to terrible atrocities such as targeted ethnic killings and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged last year, prompted by an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been hired to fight – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

These South American veterans have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience acquired during a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Western military gear, and high-level combat training.

Reported Actions

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. One source remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The US authorities said he had a key part in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, companies in the United States linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, worth millions," the official announcement noted.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be sanctioned, with the entity she oversaw said to have conducted financial transactions connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the measures as a "very significant" step, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

She added that, Colombia recently passed a law approving the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and change national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from Dubai, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.