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

Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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