South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a dark secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is tied to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

These contractors were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

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

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted 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 penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"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 recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack 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 set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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