South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records 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".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were key 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 civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction 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 companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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