Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores 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 blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

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

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture 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 confirm the location of the penalized people.

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military 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 agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added 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 underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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 companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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