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

Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence increase, links have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

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

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network 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 located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, 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 guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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