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

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

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 paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business 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 government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

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

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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