South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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 killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall 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 regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

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

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult 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 more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.