🔗 Share this article South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Firm The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain. The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Experts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring 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 over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems 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 sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians 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 halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Firm The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain. The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Experts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring 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 over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones. These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems 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 sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians 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 halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.