Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, 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 late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per 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 based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

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

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license 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 said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting 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 fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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