Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

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

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure 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 accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," 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 added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals 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 bad actors 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 said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret 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 hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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