Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing 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 agency.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder 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 recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.