Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga raises questions over how people openly censured 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 censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

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

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed 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 the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental 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 outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

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

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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