South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Situated close to a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

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

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

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

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture 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 company's activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

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

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having 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 said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.