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

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

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

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established 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 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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