Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

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

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing 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 UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed 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 former army officer based 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 Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons 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 sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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 companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying 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 demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.