South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

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

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" 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 came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.