South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly 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 web of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the United States announced 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 Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

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

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

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

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business 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 "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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 fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying 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 violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.