South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises 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 "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture 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 operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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 wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration 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 assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 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 "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems 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 participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters 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 non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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