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

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure 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 awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation 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 hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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