Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with 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 sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall 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 daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.