Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

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

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary 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 genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting 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 more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

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

The role of the South Americans 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 instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.