Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

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 located in the Gulf state.

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 wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult 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 corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans 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 seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.