South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals 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," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged 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 confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved 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 remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help 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 UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" 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, 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 fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.