Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

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

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military 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 spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning 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 said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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 hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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