Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

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 killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

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

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over 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".

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology 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, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal 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.