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

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved 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 claimed over 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction'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 operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

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

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

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

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

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

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals 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 Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies.

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.