Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation 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 firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

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 running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring 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 acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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