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

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states 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 analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured 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 condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning 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 establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.