Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused 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 mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people 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 "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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