🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" 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 verify the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Network Headed by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller. Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the War and Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons 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 sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, long accused of arming 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 senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives. As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" 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 verify the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information. Network Headed by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency. Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller. Both list Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the War and Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons 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 sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The UAE, long accused of arming 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 senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.