Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

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

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre 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 having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

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 precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help 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 UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals 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 Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.