South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Situated close to a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its unremarkable facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of companies implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities claims are directing this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company based from a flat in north London," stated an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a company in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the group’s seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Headed 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 retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

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

Impact 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 fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do business 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 Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the mercenaries recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.