🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed by Former Soldier Per the US treasury, the man at the heart 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 playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". 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 profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones. These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport 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. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors 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 apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south. Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children. Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives. As accounts of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital. UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom. The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district. The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes. "This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital. The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide. When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals. Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information. Operation Headed by Former Soldier Per the US treasury, the man at the heart 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 playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control". 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 profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones. These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions. "The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance." He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are set up. "Having a UK company like this is a passport 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. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors 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 apology from the South American nation's government. One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims. A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.