Colombian Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Situated near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure 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 company's operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre 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 having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture 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 fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult 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 said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.