Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

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

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

The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

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

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said 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 involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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