Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said 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 claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

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 apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network 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 former Colombian soldiers to be sent 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 managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect 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 instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key in the capture 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 regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals 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 Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers 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 apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought 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 UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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