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

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

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

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

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

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm 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 genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.