Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

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

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the heart 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 having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed 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 overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors 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 said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.