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

Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, 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 recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions 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 UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network 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 citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

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

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

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 re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

The two list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved 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 regular fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder 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 stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" 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 Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to 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 linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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