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

Situated near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It 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 operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, 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 profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.