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

Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse 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 the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s operations or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its website, set up in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of having a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers 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 similarly censured for overseeing a company accused of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These weapons 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 involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

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 fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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