🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies Situated near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide. Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the figure 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 Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "place of residency". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans 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 trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.
Situated near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide. Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children. These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London. London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district. The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes. "This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan. Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight Experts say the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide. When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the penalized people. Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details. Network Headed by Former Soldier Per the American authorities, the figure 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 Gulf state. The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm. Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read. Company Registration and Escalating Violence In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher. The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller. The two describe Britain as their "place of residency". Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft. These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said. Government Response and Ongoing Allegations A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans 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 trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.