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

Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret 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 UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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