South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

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 firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light 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 seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

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

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