US Imposes Penalties on Network Accused of Channeling South American Fighters to Sudan.
The United States has levied restrictions on a network of four people and four firms charged of hiring South American contractors to fight for and train a militia force in Sudan which the US alleges of committing genocide.
Group Makeup
Disclosing the restrictions on Tuesday, the American treasury stated the network was primarily made up of Colombian citizens and firms.
Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to go to Sudan to combat beside the Sudanese RSF militia, a faction linked to severe violations encompassing massacres based on ethnicity and mass abductions.
Emergence of Involvement
The involvement of Colombian fighters initially emerged last year, following an inquiry which found that over three hundred retired troops had been recruited to fight – an revelation that prompted 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 vast combat experience gleaned from a long-running domestic war, knowledge of advanced weaponry, and high-level combat training.
Reported Actions
In Sudan, the mercenaries have reportedly trained child soldiers, instructed militiamen in drone operation, and engaged in frontline combat. A mercenary previously stated that working with child soldiers was "horrific and irrational" but added that "sadly, that is the nature of conflict".
Sanctioned Individuals
Among those targeted was a retired Colombian officer, a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates. The US authorities accused him a key part in recruiting and deploying former Colombian soldiers to Sudan. His wife, Claudia Viviana Oliveros Forero, was also sanctioned.
Also on the penalty list was Mateo Andrés Duque Botero, a dual Colombian-Spanish citizen who officials alleged managed a business implicated in handling funds and payroll for the recruitment operation. "Recently, companies in the United States associated with Duque carried out numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions," the official announcement stated.
Individual Mónica Muñoz Ucros was the final person to be penalized, with the firm she operated accused of wire transfers associated with Duque and his operations.
"Washington reiterates its demand for outside forces to cease providing funding and arms to the warring parties," the Treasury said in a statement.
Analyst Commentary
Elizabeth Dickinson, from a conflict think tank, described the measures as a "very significant" milestone, saying that "targeting the enablers is the correct approach".
It was also noted that, Colombia has enacted a law endorsing the International Convention Against the Recruitment and Use of Mercenaries, designed to limit years of participation by its nationals in overseas wars and reshape national security policy.
A mercenary specialist, a scholar on the subject, called for greater wariness, saying that "restrictions are needed but not enough for dealing with the growing mercenary trade".
"It’s an illicit economy and centered in the Emirates, which is difficult to penalize," he stated. The Emirati government has been frequently alleged of supplying weapons to the paramilitary group, allegations it disputes. "More contractors from Colombia are likely," the expert cautioned.
