South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

While accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems 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 participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers 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 apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.