South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is operational. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds 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, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

Both list Britain 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 conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors 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 expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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