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

Situated near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This 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 the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, 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 long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons 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 highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"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 fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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