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

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises 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 assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

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 wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting 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 Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

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

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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