South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture 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 awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man 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 central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 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 official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat 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 analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" 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 came to light last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.