South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities mount, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used 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 operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

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

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

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

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"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 stated.

Government Response 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 controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently confirmed 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 linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.