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

Tucked away close to the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, nondescript block of flats. Beyond its ordinary facade exists a dark reality: a cramped flat connected to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction responsible for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The following day the United States announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Experts argue the situation raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK 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 genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or verify the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the figure at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of having a central role in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for managing a company accused of handling funds and salaries for the network hiring the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in the UK capital named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in official UK documents as owning "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved key in the fall 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 civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are set up.

"Owning a UK company like this is a passport for bad actors to do deals with legitimate counterparts. It's still harder to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Continuing Claims

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

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an apology from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, 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 connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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