Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat 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 questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current 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, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones 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 outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license 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 stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

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

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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