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

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small flat connected to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

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

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure 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 activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular 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 involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"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 stated.

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 emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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 arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people 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 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 also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.