Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering 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 owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key 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 fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems 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 participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.