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

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

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

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

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises 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 UK 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 accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London 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 capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children 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 report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

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

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.