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

Situated close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall 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 daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.