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

Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

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

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters 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 demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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