South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors 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 claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address 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 link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts say the saga raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British 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 accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added 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 license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.