South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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 systematic killing of women and children.

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

As reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. 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 calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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