South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat 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 firm is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries 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 Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in 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 penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting 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 the UK 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, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots 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 guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are established.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

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

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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