Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

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

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

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added 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 noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals 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.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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