South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

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

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s capture 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 company's activities or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 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.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

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

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting 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 gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

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 establishing and controlling UK firms.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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