Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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