Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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

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 wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one 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 postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga highlights 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 assault" following the group’s seizure 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 awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation 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 key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

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

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret 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 arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing 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 atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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