Colombian Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" 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 respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

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 deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall 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 civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.