🔗 Share this article South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan 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 responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom. The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Former Soldier According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over 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 Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder 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 company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan 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 responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom. The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Former Soldier According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over 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 Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder 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 company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.