Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

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

Another dual national 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 linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," said 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 set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end 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 part in the atrocities in El Fasher.