Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly 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 the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

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

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder 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 company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.