Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military 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 sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted 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 linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.