Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused 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 wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

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 camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, 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 holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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 arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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