🔗 Share this article Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms Situated near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm remains operational. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned 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 questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Led by Retired Officer Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Situated near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians. These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm remains operational. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned 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 questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Led by Retired Officer Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.