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

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’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 knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

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

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do deals 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 Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.