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

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small flat linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture 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 respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man 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 Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

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

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture 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 fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

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

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

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

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