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

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the saga highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones proved key 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 long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help 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 London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors 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 Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

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

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

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

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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