Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals 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 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction 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 apology 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 UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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