Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance 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 fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

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

While reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators 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 hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

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 mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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