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The United States has levied restrictions on a operation of several persons and entities accused of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of genocidal acts.

Group Makeup

Revealing the measures on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was mostly comprised of individuals and businesses from Colombia.

Scores of retired Colombian troops have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a faction accused of terrible atrocities encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and widespread kidnappings.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries was first uncovered last year, prompted by an inquiry which found that hundreds of ex-military personnel had been contracted to engage in combat – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from officials in Bogotá.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as highly prized fighters in conflict zones due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from decades of civil war, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In Sudan, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching underage fighters, taught fighters to pilot drones, and participated in direct battles. One source remarked that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but commented that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a central role in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who the Treasury stated managed a business accused of managing finances and payments for the scheme. "Recently, US-based firms associated with Duque conducted multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be targeted, with the company she managed accused of wire transfers linked to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on outside forces to cease providing financial and military support to the combatants," the Treasury stated.

Expert Analysis

A senior analyst, from a conflict think tank, described the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "calling out those who are doing the contracting is the right way to go".

Furthermore, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb its citizens' long history in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, advised additional measures, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating the growing mercenary trade".

"It operates in the black market and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he commented. The UAE has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, an accusation it has denied. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.