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

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators 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 technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. 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 government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling 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 confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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