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

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, links have been found between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as resident in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

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

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

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

Both describe Britain as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," 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 noted that the participation of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology 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 United Arab Emirates, 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 providing 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 halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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