Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per 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 based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction 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, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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