Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm 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 genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals 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 seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting 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 analyst. "These systems require outside assistance 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 highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

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

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