🔗 Share this article Washington Levies Restrictions on Operation Accused of Funneling South American Fighters to Sudan. The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms accused of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group the United States claims of genocidal acts. Group Makeup Revealing the restrictions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian citizens and firms. Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have allegedly journeyed to Sudan to fight alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force linked to severe violations encompassing targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings. Emergence of Involvement The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, after an investigation which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to fight – an revelation that prompted an unusual statement of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry. Former Colombian military have widely regarded as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience resulting from years of internal conflict, knowledge of Nato equipment, and high-level combat training. Role in the Conflict In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and participated in direct battles. A mercenary was quoted as saying that training children was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Targeted Persons Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities alleged he played a key part in enlisting and transporting former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was penalized as well. Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company implicated in handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Over the past two years, US-based firms linked to Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement noted. Individual Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated said to have conducted money transfers connected to Duque and his businesses. "Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury stated. Expert Analysis An expert, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" milestone, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the proper strategy". She added that, the Colombian government ratified a law endorsing the global treaty against mercenarism, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in overseas wars and transform domestic defense strategy. A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors". "This is a shadow economy and based out of the Emirates, which is largely insulated from sanctions," he commented. The UAE has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," McFate warned.