Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated 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 "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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