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

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture 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, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" 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 retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred 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 identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology 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 UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.