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

Situated near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic 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 sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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 claims are directing 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 UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

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

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

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

One of the mercenaries 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 hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters 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 calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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