🔗 Share this article Colombian Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused 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 activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led by Retired Officer Per the American authorities, 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These drones proved key 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 remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder 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 recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. While reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain. The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden. Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses. "This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused 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 activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led by Retired Officer Per the American authorities, 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read. Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". The two describe Britain as their "place of residency". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones. These drones proved key 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 remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance." He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder 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 recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms. The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access." They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.