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

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

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

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches a five-star hotel in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Operation Led by Retired Officer

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 located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots 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 technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," 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 noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. 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 government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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