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

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries 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 claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat 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 questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart 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 accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.