South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Connected to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The day after the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation highlights concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a company in the British capital.

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

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

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the man 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 alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

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

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

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having 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 fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

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

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to 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 fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

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

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