Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

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

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

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

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "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 wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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