South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London is a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a transnational web of firms involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at Companies House as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Oversight

Experts say the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, set up in spring, was marked as "being built" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the figure at the centre of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement said.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries 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 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 Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters 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 demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."

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