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

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited 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.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and penalized recently by the American authorities 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 resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals 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 British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses 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 sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing 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 engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones 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 involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors 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 admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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