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The US government has enforced penalties on a operation of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan the United States claims of committing genocide.

Operation Structure

Announcing the restrictions on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department stated the scheme was mostly comprised of Colombian citizens and firms.

Scores of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to go to the Sudanese warzone to combat beside the RSF paramilitary group, a group implicated in terrible atrocities including massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.

Discovery of Participation

The involvement of Colombian fighters first came to light last year, prompted by an investigation which revealed that over three hundred retired troops had been hired to fight – an event that resulted in an rare mea culpa from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

Former Colombian military have widely regarded as among the world’s most sought-after mercenaries due to their considerable warzone knowledge resulting from years of internal conflict, familiarity with Nato equipment, and superior tactical education.

Reported Actions

In the conflict, the mercenaries have allegedly instructed underage fighters, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. One source was quoted as saying that instructing minors was "awful and crazy" but commented that "regrettably, war operates that way".

Sanctioned Individuals

Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the UAE. The US authorities accused him a pivotal function in enlisting and transporting mercenaries to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Oliveros, was similarly targeted.

Also on the restricted list was Mateo Duque Botero, a individual with Colombian and Spanish citizenship who authorities say ran a firm accused of handling funds and payroll for the scheme. "Recently, companies in the United States connected to Duque engaged in several money transfers, worth millions," the government release said.

Colombian national Mónica Muñoz was the fourth individual to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of money transfers associated with Duque and his operations.

"Washington reiterates its demand for foreign parties to stop giving funding and arms to the combatants," the department said in a statement.

Expert Analysis

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, called the sanctions as a "highly important" step, saying that "targeting the enablers is the proper strategy".

She added that, the Colombian government has enacted a piece of legislation endorsing the anti-mercenary convention, seeking to reduce its citizens' long history in foreign conflicts and transform domestic defense strategy.

A mercenary specialist, an expert on mercenaries, advised additional measures, noting that "sanctions are necessary but insufficient for dealing with widespread use of contractors".

"It’s an illicit economy and operating from the UAE, which is relatively sanction-proof," he stated. The UAE has been widely accused of arming the RSF, claims it rejects. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," he advised.