🔗 Share this article South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction'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 activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed 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 based in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred 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 company, with one named as a key controller. Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians. These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction'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 activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed 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 based in the Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred 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 company, with one named as a key controller. Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the War and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support." He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.