Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site 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 "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"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 gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

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

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