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

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business 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 numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns 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 business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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