🔗 Share this article

The Washington has imposed sanctions on a group of four people and four firms charged of enlisting South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force accused of severe violations including massacres based on ethnicity and large-scale abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The participation of ex-soldiers initially emerged the previous year, following an report which disclosed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an revelation that led to an unprecedented apology from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their extensive battlefield experience resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the Colombians have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Named Entities

Among those penalized was a dual national, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well.

Also on the penalty list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm implicated in managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities associated with Duque carried out several money transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the government release said.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the fourth individual to be targeted, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies.

"The US once more urges outside forces to halt the flow of monetary and weaponry aid to the belligerents," the Treasury announced.

Analyst Commentary

An expert, from a conflict think tank, labeled the actions as a "highly important" milestone, noting that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

It was also noted that, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, urged more caution, noting that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.