Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture 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.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

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 former army officer located in the Gulf state.

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

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

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

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

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons 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 London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors 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.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children 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 recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.