South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture 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 activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named 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 camp was transferred 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 company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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