Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a small flat linked to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation 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 firm in the British capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers 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 also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors 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 the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters 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 demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.