South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern 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 the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network 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 central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture 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 regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

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

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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