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

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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

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

While reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions 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 significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

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

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

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

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.