South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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