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

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals 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," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

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, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons 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 broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors 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 the contractors. A report 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 UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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