Colombian Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April 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 displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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