Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

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

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

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights questions 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 UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’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 respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

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

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license 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 stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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