Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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 US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per 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 playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

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

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

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft 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 outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms 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 set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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