Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern 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 flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

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 Gulf state.

The US accuses 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 business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

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

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans 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 United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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