🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-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 violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. UK Address Connected to Censured Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain. The firm is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, 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 the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London 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 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 firm, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently admitted 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 report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-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 violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital. UK Address Connected to Censured Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain. The firm is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, 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 the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London 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 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 firm, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the mercenaries recently admitted 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 report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.