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

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart 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 key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," 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 noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

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

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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