Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse 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 comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network 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 recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted 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 sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK 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 trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved 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 regular civilian deaths," said 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 London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

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

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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