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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a network of four individuals and four companies accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Network Composition

Disclosing the sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the scheme was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a force accused of terrible atrocities including ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light last year, prompted by an report which found that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with Western military gear, and elite military instruction.

Activities in Sudan

In the conflict, the Colombians have reportedly trained underage fighters, provided drone warfare training, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and former army officer located in the Dubai. The US authorities said he had a key part in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual national who authorities say managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque conducted several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement noted.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed said to have conducted wire transfers associated with Duque and his businesses.

"The US once more urges outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the department said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, labeled the measures as a "major" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, Bogotá recently passed a statute approving the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, stating that "penalties are required yet incomplete for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is difficult to penalize," he said. The United Arab Emirates has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.