🔗 Share this article Washington Levies Sanctions on Group Accused of Recruiting South American Mercenaries to Sudan. The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of enlisting South American contractors to combat alongside and instruct a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of committing genocide. Group Makeup Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was largely composed of individuals and businesses from Colombia. Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to fight alongside the Sudanese RSF militia, a force linked to severe violations such as targeted ethnic killings and widespread kidnappings. Revelation of Role The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, after an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an event that prompted an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry. Colombian ex-soldiers have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience acquired during decades of civil war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and elite military instruction. Role in the Conflict In the conflict, the mercenaries have reportedly trained minors, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. An individual involved previously stated that instructing minors was "terrible and insane" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is". Named Entities Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a citizen of both Colombia and Italy and retired Colombian military officer operating from the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities said he had a key part in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned. Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual national who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States linked to Duque carried out multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the Treasury statement said. Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be sanctioned, with the firm she operated accused of financial transactions associated with Duque and his companies. "The United States again calls on external actors to cease providing funding and arms to the combatants," the Treasury said in a statement. Expert Analysis Elizabeth Dickinson, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the proper strategy". She added that, Colombia recently passed a statute endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform its security approach. A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for addressing widespread use of contractors". "It operates in the black market and based out of the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The United Arab Emirates has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," McFate warned.