Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

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

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots 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 precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning 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 fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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