Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to 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 company had used their addresses.

"It 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 apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the situation highlights 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 censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged 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 residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed 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 playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

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

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems 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 participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children 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 the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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