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The US government has enforced penalties on a group of four individuals and four companies charged of enlisting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

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

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Sudanese RSF militia, a group linked to severe violations such as massacres based on ethnicity and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged last year, following an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been hired to participate in the war – an event that led to an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Colombian ex-soldiers have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge gleaned from a long-running domestic war, familiarity with advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In Sudan, the contractors have been accused of teaching underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. One source previously stated that training children was "terrible and insane" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Targeted Persons

Among those sanctioned was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the UAE. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual national who officials alleged managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release stated.

Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his businesses.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to halt the flow of funding and arms to the belligerents," the agency said in a statement.

Analyst Commentary

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, described the sanctions as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

She added that, Bogotá recently passed a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and change national security policy.

Sean McFate, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, stating that "restrictions are needed but not enough for addressing the growing mercenary trade".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from Dubai, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been widely accused of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," he advised.