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

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place 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 implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

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

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved key in the capture 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 civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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 linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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