Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing 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 triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"It 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 apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals 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 stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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 confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.