🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain. The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller. Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Wider Issues The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain. The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller. Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Wider Issues The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.