South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated close to the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises 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 firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, 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 the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, 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 Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture 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 civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to 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, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding 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 leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.