Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company 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 establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say 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 company in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

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

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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 linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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