South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to deadly atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is tied to a transnational web of firms implicated in the mass hiring of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited 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 directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and penalized recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The company is active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights 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 UK's top diplomat has censured 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 asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in May, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre 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 having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

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

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

Both list the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

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

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the absence of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.