Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

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

As accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

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

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures 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 site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

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

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. 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 government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to 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, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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