Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

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

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

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure 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 company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, 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 holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing 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 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 recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.