South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict 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 asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport 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.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had recently imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.