Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "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 participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.