Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread 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 triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

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

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