Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict 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, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man 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 Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named 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 transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

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

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

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport 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 stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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