Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British 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 accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled 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 accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked 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 listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement 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 admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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