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

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small flat connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

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 former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, 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 "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

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 instructed minors 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 Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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