Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

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 citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation 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 official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans 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 drones proved 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 remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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