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

Situated close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds 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 western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This 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 flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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