Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict 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 "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

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

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat 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 providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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