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

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart 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 having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

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

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

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

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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