South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels 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 American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led 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 based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

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

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "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 involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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