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The Washington has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities accused of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, prompted by an report which found that more than 300 former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an discovery that resulted in an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the Sudanese theater, the contractors have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Targeted Persons

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer operating from the Dubai. The government said he had a central role in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in several money transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the company she managed alleged to have wire transfers connected to Duque and his operations.

"The US once more urges external actors to stop giving monetary and weaponry aid to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the measures as a "major" step, noting that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a statute endorsing 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.

Sean McFate, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and centered in the UAE, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.