South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a small flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected 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 described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, 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 attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones were key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons 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 underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up 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 fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.