🔗 Share this article Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide. Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district. Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Former Soldier According to the US treasury, 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 Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two list the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals 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 Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide. Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives. As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF. Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district. Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details. Operation Headed by Former Soldier According to the US treasury, 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 Gulf state. The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries. "During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two list the UK as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established. "Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals 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 Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims. A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access." They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.