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

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a small flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries 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 analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

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

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated 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 the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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