South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man 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 accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Company Registration 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.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport 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 said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted 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 hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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