Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance 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 large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

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

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

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

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters 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 linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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