🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated 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 claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Experts say the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed 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 based in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. London Flat Linked to Censured Company The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated 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 claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Experts say the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed 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 based in the Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.