Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British 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 charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering 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 penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought 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 Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection 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.