South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, 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 set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

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

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

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.