Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned 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, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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