South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies
Situated near a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.
According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.
Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted
Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.
Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.
As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.
London Flat Connected to Censured Firm
The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.
Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.
The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.
The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.
"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.
Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks
Analysts say the saga highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.
The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.
When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the location of the penalized people.
Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.
Network Headed by Former Soldier
Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.
The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.
Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.
"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.
Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict
In spring of this 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 camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.
The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".
Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".
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 allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.
These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.
"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."
He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.
"Owning 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 Continuing Claims
A government source stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.
The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.
One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.
The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters 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 calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."
They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.