Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

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

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

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

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance 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 London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. 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 lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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