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

Tucked away close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, 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 flat in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question 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 American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental 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 remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling 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 trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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