Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm remains active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

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

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations 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 list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

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

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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