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The Washington has enforced penalties on a network of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to support and educate a armed faction in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts.

Network Composition

Revealing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a group implicated in severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries first came to light in 2024, prompted by an report which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been recruited to fight – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from officials in Bogotá.

Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience gleaned from decades of civil war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and elite military instruction.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but noted that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and retired Colombian military officer operating from the UAE. The US authorities said he had a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities associated with Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to stop giving funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "major" development, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and based out of Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.