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

Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

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

As accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

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

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned 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 censured the RSF for "organized murder, 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, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure 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 having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture 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 regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret 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 arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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