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

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre 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 listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft 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 added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

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

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians 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 lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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