South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding 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 large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

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

While reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify 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 no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters 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 protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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