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

Situated near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals 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 Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, 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 atrocities in El Fasher.