Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’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 respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

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 long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

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

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

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

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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