South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, 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 killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga raises 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 British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed 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 linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.