Guardian report links UK firms to Colombian mercenary recruitment in Sudan

• The Guardian says UK-registered companies recruited Colombian mercenaries to fight in Sudan.
• The fighters were deployed alongside the Rapid Support Forces, accused of war crimes and genocidal crimes.

An investigation by the The Guardian has uncovered the involvement of companies registered in the United Kingdom in recruiting hundreds of Colombian mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside the Rapid Support Forces, which face accusations of war crimes and genocidal crimes.

The investigation traced the recruitment network to a modest one-bedroom apartment in north London, linking it to a wider international system for hiring foreign fighters. According to The Guardian, the network is run by individuals who have been sanctioned by the United States for their role in fueling Sudan’s ongoing war.

From London to Darfur

The report said the north London apartment, located on Creighton Avenue, is connected to a cross-border web of companies involved in mass mercenary recruitment. These companies allegedly supplied fighters to Sudan’s paramilitary forces, which have been repeatedly accused of widespread atrocities.

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Colombian mercenaries took part directly in the assault on the city of El Fasher in Darfur in late October. The attack was followed by a deadly escalation that left thousands killed, alongside allegations of mass rape and systematic killings of civilians, including women and children, according to the investigation.

Advanced combat roles

The Guardian reported that the mercenaries played advanced roles on the battlefield, including operating drones, training fighters, and even training children for combat. They were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and in fighting across the neighboring Kordofan region.

A company under scrutiny

Central to the case is a company later identified as “Zeus Global”, which was registered in north London with limited capital. British corporate records show the company was founded by Colombian nationals listed as UK residents.

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The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions last week on two Colombian men in their fifties who founded Zeus Global, accusing them of recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

Despite the sanctions, the company remains active, the report said, but has since changed its registered address to central London. The new addresses were linked to luxury hotels that denied any association with the firm, raising serious questions about oversight and transparency.

Growing concern over UK oversight

Sudan experts and United Nations officials told The Guardian they are deeply concerned that individuals under international sanctions can establish companies in Britain and use them as fronts for dangerous activities. They warned that the ease of company registration in the UK has long been exploited in arms deals and military support for sanctioned actors worldwide.

In response, the British government said it has recently introduced stricter measures to verify the identities of company directors and has imposed sanctions on leaders of the Rapid Support Forces. It reiterated calls for an immediate end to atrocities in Sudan, the protection of civilians, and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid.