South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork exists a grim reality: a small flat linked to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per UK government records, this apartment in north London is connected to a international web of firms implicated in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to combat in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- Colombian Military Recruited

A large number of former Colombian military personnel have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As accounts of violence mount, links have been found between the mercenaries hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and penalized last week by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The company remains active. The following day the United States announced sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of London. Its new postcode matches one five-star hotel in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no link 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 claims are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the saga raises concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, torture and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with 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 penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the US treasury, 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 alleges this individual of playing a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for overseeing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

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

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the camp was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the company, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the Conflict and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians 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 acting as marksmen, foot soldiers, trainers, and operators for drones.

These drones proved key in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing regular civilian deaths," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."

He noted that the involvement of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the absence of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having 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 set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response 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 firms.

The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret from Colombia’s foreign ministry.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that UAE nationals supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.