South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s capture 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 awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure 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 United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses 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 sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking 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 list the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

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

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors 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 investigation alleged that UAE nationals 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 safety of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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