South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

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

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights 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 "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House 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 proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons 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 involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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