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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of several persons and entities charged of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group that Washington accuses of acts of genocide.

Group Makeup

Revealing the sanctions on this week, the Treasury stated the operation was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies.

Numerous of former Colombian military personnel have reportedly travelled to Sudan to combat beside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a force implicated in terrible atrocities including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Emergence of Involvement

The participation of ex-soldiers was first uncovered last year, after an report which disclosed that hundreds of former soldiers had been recruited to participate in the war – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

Colombian ex-soldiers have long been considered as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their vast combat experience gleaned from years of internal conflict, training on Western military gear, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching minors, taught fighters to pilot drones, and fought directly on the frontlines. An individual involved was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "awful and crazy" but commented that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a individual with dual citizenship and ex-soldier operating from the United Arab Emirates. The government accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was similarly targeted.

Also on the sanctions list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who authorities say ran a firm implicated in handling funds and payroll for the network. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, worth millions," the government release noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated said to have conducted wire transfers connected to Duque and his businesses.

"The United States again calls on foreign parties to halt the flow of funding and arms to the warring parties," the agency announced.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, described the actions as a "highly important" development, stating that "identifying the recruiters is the correct approach".

Furthermore, Colombia recently passed a statute endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce years of participation by its nationals in international fights and change domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, urged more caution, stating that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for combating widespread use of contractors".

"It operates in the black market and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he commented. The UAE has been frequently alleged of providing arms to the militia, claims it rejects. "Expect more Colombian mercenaries," the expert cautioned.