Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark reality: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries 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 over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre 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 accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors 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 expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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