Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Situated near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes 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 web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

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

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, 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 technologically advanced one, with precision munitions 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 major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

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

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

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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