South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered 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 seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

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

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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