🔗 Share this article Washington Levies Penalties on Network Accused of Channeling South American Fighters to Sudan. The United States has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms alleged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of genocidal acts. Operation Structure Disclosing the sanctions on this week, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms. Scores of ex-soldiers from Colombia have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction linked to horrific war crimes including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions. Discovery of Participation The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged last year, after an report which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to engage in combat – an discovery that resulted in an rare mea culpa 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 resulting from a long-running domestic war, training on Nato equipment, and superior tactical education. Activities in Sudan In the conflict, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, provided drone warfare training, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that working with child soldiers was "terrible and insane" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Targeted Persons Among those sanctioned was a dual national, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a central role in hiring and sending mercenaries to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned. Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged oversaw a company linked to managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the Treasury statement stated. Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the company she managed accused of money transfers connected to Duque and his operations. "Washington reiterates its demand for external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the warring parties," the agency said in a statement. Reaction An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" development, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go". It was also noted that, Bogotá ratified a piece of legislation approving the anti-mercenary convention, designed to limit decades of Colombian involvement in international fights and change its security approach. A mercenary specialist, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for combating widespread use of contractors". "It operates in the black market and centered in the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.