Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed 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 luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning 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.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

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

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors 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 Colombian mercenaries. 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 British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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