Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga highlights 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 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 accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

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 reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

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

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought 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 fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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