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

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to 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 based in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said 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 noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport 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 said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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