🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives. While reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London. UK Address Connected to Censured Firm The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to 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 charged by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Operation Led by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent 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 business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing 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 named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "country of residence". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems 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 underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives. While reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London. UK Address Connected to Censured Firm The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to 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 charged by the US with genocide. When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Operation Led by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent 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 business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing 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 named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "country of residence". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems 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 underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.