South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

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

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

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network 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 dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, 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 owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. 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 new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology 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, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.