Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

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

While reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

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

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular 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 outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to 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 senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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