Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

As accounts of violence increase, links have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection 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 claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created 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 heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, 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 recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

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

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans 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 instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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