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

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned 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 "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network 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 recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe 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 course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting 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 technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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