South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited 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 key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based 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 recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "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 involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult 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 said 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 apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.