🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities 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 paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure 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 knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact 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 nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities 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 paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure 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 knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact 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 nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.