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

Situated near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The company is active. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their addresses.

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

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the UK capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

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

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

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

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems 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 London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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