South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

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

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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