🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Network Led by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two list the UK as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company 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 deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said. Government Response and Continuing Claims A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Network Led by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two list the UK as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company 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 deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said. Government Response and Continuing Claims A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.