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

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former 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, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

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

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre 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 "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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 trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged 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 linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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