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

Situated near a shiny football stadium of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a dark reality: a cramped flat linked to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of companies implicated in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has claimed at least 60,000 lives.

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

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The apartment in north London is listed to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

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

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its new postcode corresponds to a five-star hotel in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the British capital.

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

When asked about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US accuses 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 penalized for owning and managing the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business alleged of processing money and payroll for the network employing the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are listed in Companies House records as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Impact on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the course of the war, analysts say. These nationals have allegedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft were key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

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

He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when companies are established.

"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 establish a UK company," he said.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first emerged last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.

One of the mercenaries recently admitted that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A UK official commented: "The UK is demanding an halt to atrocities, the safety of civilians, and the removal of barriers to humanitarian access."

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