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

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question 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 primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned 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 acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation 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 having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"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 said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

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

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

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

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.