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

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

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

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned 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 Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent 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 business accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling 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 called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "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 highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment 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 British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.