Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military 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 murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

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

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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