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

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

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 penalized for owning and managing the agency.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators 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 precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat 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 investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection 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 part in the atrocities in El Fasher.