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

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains operational. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British 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 firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

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 former army officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. 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 stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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