Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors 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 firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, 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 located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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 precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," 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 penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

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