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

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts say the saga highlights questions 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 UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, 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 the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

Both describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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