Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish 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 UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.