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

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per 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 Gulf state.

The US alleges 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 agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones were key 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 daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having 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 establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children 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 investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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