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

Situated close to a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, links have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The company remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address matches one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply 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 UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises 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 UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the group’s seizure 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 awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

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

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a business accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

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

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A government source said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their part in the atrocities in El Fasher.