Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to 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 major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga 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 UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp 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 named as a key controller.

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre 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 "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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