Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part 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 dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

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

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