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

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve 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 paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one 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 company had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the heart 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 alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. 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 operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were 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 long-range drones causing daily fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"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 fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. 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 said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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