Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark reality: a small flat linked to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict 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, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

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 retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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 attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict 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 reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Owning 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 fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought 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 UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

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