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

Situated close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up 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 the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm 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 charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

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

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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