South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. 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 central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

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

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology 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 arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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