Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- 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, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the 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 mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture 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 comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement 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 license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.