Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

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

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added 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 added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction 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 controlling UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying 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 demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.