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

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

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

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"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 set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" 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, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

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