🔗 Share this article South American Contractors in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians. 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 accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation 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 serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, 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, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led 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 retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. Both describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture 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 civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport 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 said. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.
Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south. Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide. Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians. 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 accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London. UK Address Linked to Censured Company The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF. Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom. The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation 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 serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan. Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks Analysts argue the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital. The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, 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, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people. Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details. Operation Led 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 retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US accuses this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm. Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries. "In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said. Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global. Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher. The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller. Both describe Britain as their "country of residence". Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones. These aircraft were instrumental in the capture 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 civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support." He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up. "Owning a UK company like this is a passport 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 said. Government Response and Continuing Claims A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms. The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry. One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher. The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations. A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery." They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.