Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias 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 serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims 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.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft 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 fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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