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

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, 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 recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

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

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

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment 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 UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, 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 Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.