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

Situated close to a gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require external help 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 UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged 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 fought in El Fasher.

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

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

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.