Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre 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 accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors 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 said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

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

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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