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

Situated near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational web of companies involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to combat in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

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

These contractors were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company remains operational. The following day the US treasury imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Experts say the saga highlights questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the US treasury, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a business alleged of handling funds and payroll for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment 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 camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, 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 technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" 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 confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt 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 role in the atrocities in El Fasher.