South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured 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 "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" 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 citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport 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 said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

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

One of the fighters recently confirmed 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 recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked 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 safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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