Situated near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.
According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.
Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted
A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.
These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.
As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.
London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company
The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.
Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.
The firm remains active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district.
Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.
"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.
Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks
Experts say the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.
The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused 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 confirm the location of the penalized people.
Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.
Operation Headed by Former Soldier
Per the US treasury, 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 Gulf state.
The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.
Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.
"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.
Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence
In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.
Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.
The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".
Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".
Effect on the War and Broader Concerns
The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.
These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.
"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."
He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.
"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.
Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations
A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.
The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.
One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.
The United Arab Emirates, 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 Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.
A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."
They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.
