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

Situated near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture 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 Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were 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," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.