Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

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

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict 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, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said 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 London firm 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 fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response 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 companies.

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

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

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

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

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