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

Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company remains active. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental 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 daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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 hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.