Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many 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 company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft 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 daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries 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 legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

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 establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans 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 UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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