South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a small flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of companies involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises questions over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel 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 also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed 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 handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

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

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors 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 stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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