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

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

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

While reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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 connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.