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

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

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

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals 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.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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

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 Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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