South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic 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 killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said 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 primary figures the American authorities states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to 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 high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.