South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Situated near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes 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 paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of civilians.

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

As reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

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

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

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Oversight

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict 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 "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and salaries for the network hiring the Colombian fighters.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "country of residence".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added 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 added that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are set up.

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

Government Response and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to 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, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

They added that the UK had also sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.