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

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries 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 experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury 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 living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

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

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

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

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying 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 protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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