Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved 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.

As reports of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

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 retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.