South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

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

As reports of atrocities increase, links have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre 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 having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added 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 participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors 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, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians 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 immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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