Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries 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 is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "under construction" 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 located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named 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 handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors 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 the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.