🔗 Share this article Washington Levies Penalties on Network Accused of Recruiting South American Mercenaries to the Sudanese Conflict. The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting former Colombian soldiers to support and educate a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of acts of genocide. Group Makeup Disclosing the measures on this week, the US Treasury Department stated the operation was mostly comprised of Colombian nationals and companies. Numerous of ex-soldiers from Colombia have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in horrific war crimes encompassing ethnically targeted slaughter and large-scale abductions. Revelation of Role The participation of ex-soldiers first came to light the previous year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been recruited to participate in the war – an event that led to an unprecedented apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their considerable warzone knowledge acquired during years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and elite military instruction. Reported Actions In Sudan, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source previously stated that instructing minors was "horrific and irrational" but added that "regrettably, war operates that way". Targeted Persons Among those penalized was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and ex-soldier based in the Dubai. The Treasury alleged he played a central role in hiring and sending former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned. Also on the sanctions list was Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who the Treasury stated oversaw a company accused of managing finances and payments for the network. "Over the past two years, American entities linked to Duque conducted numerous wire transfers, worth millions," the official announcement said. Citizen of Colombia Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the other individual to be penalized, with the company she managed said to have conducted financial transactions linked to Duque and his operations. "The US once more urges external actors to halt the flow of financial and military support to the belligerents," the department stated. Analyst Commentary Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, labeled the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "targeting the enablers is the right way to go". She added that, Colombia ratified a piece of legislation ratifying the global treaty against mercenarism, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy. Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, advised additional measures, saying that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing the growing mercenary trade". "It operates in the black market and based out of the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he said. The Emirati government has been repeatedly implicated of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," he advised.