Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure 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.

While accounts of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

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

The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights questions 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 company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, 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 Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network 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 playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall 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 civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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