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

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused 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 verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

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 located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

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

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted 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 Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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