Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

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 over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run 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 capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

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

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

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

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "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 participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement 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 instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.