Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga raises questions 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 British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned 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 acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall 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 regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

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

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology 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, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

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