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

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed 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 – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect 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 key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals 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 said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged 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 United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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