Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

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

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized last week by the US treasury 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 living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

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

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report 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 UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.