Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to 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 "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

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

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

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

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "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 participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.