South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational network of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the key individuals the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga raises concerns 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 British capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network 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 key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers 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 apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors 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 hiring of the contractors. 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 UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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