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

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

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

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military 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 Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred 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 firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

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

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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