Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing 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 United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned 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 asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

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

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

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. 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 fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said 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 noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. 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 government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up 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 fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming 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 high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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