Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture 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 daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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 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 recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.