South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies

Tucked away close to the shiny football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to murderous atrocities taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international network of companies involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to combat in Sudan alongside militias accused of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- 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 blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, set up by two people identified and penalized recently by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The company is operational. The day after the US treasury announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.

The establishments in question stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, Companies House did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

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

Operation Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the figure at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and retired Colombian military officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His spouse was also sanctioned for owning and managing the firm.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of processing money and payroll for the operation hiring 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.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are named in official UK documents as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one named as a person of "significant control".

The two list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as marksmen, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

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

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular fatalities," said the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

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

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first emerged last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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