🔗 Share this article South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. 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 sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Former Soldier According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These aircraft were key 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 long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running 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 mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters 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 immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives. While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. 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 sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain. The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Former Soldier According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". Both describe the UK as their "place of residency". Impact on the War and Wider Issues The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These aircraft were key 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 long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said. Official Reaction and Continuing Claims A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running 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 mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters 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 immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery." They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.