Colombian Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run 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 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 verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running 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.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. 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 more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement 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 United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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