Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-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.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart 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 playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors 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 supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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