South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

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

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

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned 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 British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans 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 acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light 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 seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

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

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