Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection 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 orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

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

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based 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 Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money 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 many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital 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 Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning 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 said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction 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 fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying 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 atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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