South American Contractors in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.

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

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation 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.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply 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 United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals 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 British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, 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 playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were 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 daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

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

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted 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 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 demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.