Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-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 accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict 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 sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones proved key in the capture 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 fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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