Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The flat 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 fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured 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 British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure 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 knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre 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 accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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