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The Washington has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat alongside and instruct a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of genocidal acts.

Operation Structure

Announcing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings.

Revelation of Role

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged the previous year, after an investigation which found that more than 300 retired troops had been recruited to fight – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience resulting from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Activities in Sudan

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved remarked that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but noted that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities alleged he played a central role in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Over the past two years, American entities connected to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the Treasury statement said.

Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the department announced.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, called the actions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government ratified a law endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, urged more caution, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The UAE has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, an accusation it has denied. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.