Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

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

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm 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, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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