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

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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