South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

While reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains active. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga raises questions over how people 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 British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental 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 long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.