🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks Analysts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture 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 operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart 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 central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were 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 remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence 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. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated 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 role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks Analysts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture 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 operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Retired Officer According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart 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 central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency. Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These aircraft were 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 remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence 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. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated 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 role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.