South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away close to a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital is a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in north London is tied to a international web of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been found between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

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

The firm is operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, set up in spring, was labelled as "being built" with lacking information.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In April of this year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both list Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These aircraft proved key 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 regular fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals 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 UK official said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance 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 mercenaries recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters 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 immediate end to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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