South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by British-Based Firms

Tucked away near a shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary beige brickwork exists a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

London Flat Linked to Censured Firm

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in documents at Companies House as living in Britain.

The company remains active. The following day the US treasury imposed restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the company had used their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how people openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

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

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, set up in May, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals 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 "place of residency".

Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and remote aircraft causing daily fatalities," added the analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for bad actors to do business with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting 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 seen combat in El Fasher.

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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