Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed 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 also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

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 precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business 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 Ongoing Allegations

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to 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 UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.