South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

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

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link 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 establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man 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 hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement 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 displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license 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 said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology 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 supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

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

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