Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction'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 comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems 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 involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light 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 linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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