🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat 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 implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors 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 US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the penalized figures 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, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking 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 list Britain as their "country of residence". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat 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 implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors 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 US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the penalized figures 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, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking 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 list Britain as their "country of residence". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.