South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Firms
Tucked away near the gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a grim secret: a small flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.
Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a international web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted
A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.
These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.
As reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.
London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Firm
The flat in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting contractors to combat for the RSF.
Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.
The company remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a five-star hotel in Covent Garden.
The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their postcodes.
"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.
Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Oversight
Analysts say the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling 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, torture and sexual violence" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.
When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.
Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.
Network Headed by Retired Officer
Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.
Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.
"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.
Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict
In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.
Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.
The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.
Both list the UK as their "country of residence".
Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns
The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.
These aircraft proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.
"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."
He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.
"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.
Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations
A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.
The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.
One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.
The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.
A UK official said: "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 also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.