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

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

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

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

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected 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 violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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