Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities unfolding 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 firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic 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 sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant 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 "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

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

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

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

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, 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 accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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 seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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