Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

While reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named 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 capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement 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 trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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