Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals 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 the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British 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 acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved 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 fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children 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 Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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