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

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure 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.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key 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 daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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