South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

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

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license 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 stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated 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, prompting 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 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 connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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