Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to 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 located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall 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 expert. "These systems 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 London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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