Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "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 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 license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying 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 calling for an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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