🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms Situated near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Retired Officer According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established. "Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Retired Officer According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established. "Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.