Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded 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 planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems 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 penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology 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, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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