Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment 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 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 penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe the UK 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 war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the capture 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," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said 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 emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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