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

Tucked away near a gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, nondescript block of flats. Behind its unremarkable facade lies a dark reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in north London is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Recruited

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

London Flat Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to fight for the RSF.

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

The company is operational. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question said 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 American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation raises questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

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

Contacting Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart 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 central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another dual national was similarly censured for managing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

In April of the current year, the penalized figures registered a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was transferred to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

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

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with respectable entities. It's still harder to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light 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, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to aid delivery."

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