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The Washington has imposed sanctions on a operation of four individuals and four companies charged of recruiting South American contractors to fight for and train a armed faction in Sudan that Washington accuses of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Hundreds of retired Colombian troops have reportedly travelled to Sudan to operate with the RSF paramilitary group, a faction linked to terrible atrocities encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The role of these mercenaries initially emerged last year, following an report which revealed that more than 300 ex-military personnel had been hired to fight – an discovery that prompted an rare mea culpa from the Colombian government.

These South American veterans have historically been seen as some of the most in-demand contractors globally due to their vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and superior tactical education.

Role in the Conflict

In the conflict, the mercenaries have been accused of teaching child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "unfortunately that’s how war is".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those penalized was Álvaro Andrés Quijano Becerra, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a central role in hiring and sending ex-military personnel to Sudan. His spouse, Claudia Oliveros, was also sanctioned.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say managed a business linked to processing money and salaries for the recruitment operation. "Recently, American entities linked to Duque engaged in multiple financial transactions, amounting to millions," the government release noted.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be targeted, with the entity she oversaw alleged to have financial transactions associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to halt the flow of financial and military support to the combatants," the agency stated.

Analyst Commentary

A senior analyst, with the International Crisis Group, labeled the sanctions as a "highly important" step, saying that "identifying the recruiters is the right way to go".

Furthermore, the Colombian government has enacted a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, aiming to curb decades of Colombian involvement in overseas wars and transform national security policy.

Another expert, a authority on private military contractors, called for greater wariness, noting that "penalties are required yet incomplete for addressing rampant mercenarism".

"This is a shadow economy and operating from the Emirates, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The Emirati government has been widely accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, claims it rejects. "This trend will probably continue," the expert cautioned.