South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities 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 mass recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in May, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting 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 describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business 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 government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.