Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited 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.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture 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 firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted 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 legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official 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 emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors 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 senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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