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

Tucked away near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm is operational. The following day the United States imposed 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 luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently 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 faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

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

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

Both describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Impact on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

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

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology 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 United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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