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

Tucked away close to the shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark reality: a small flat connected to murderous atrocities taking place a vast distance to the south.

Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in the African nation alongside militias charged of numerous war crimes and genocide.

Hundreds of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

Hundreds of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic killing of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As accounts of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The flat in north London is registered to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at Companies House as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains operational. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the company had listed their addresses.

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the American authorities states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a researcher and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the situation highlights questions over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK 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 acts of genocide.

When asked about the company, 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, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

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 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 recruitment firm. His spouse was also penalized for running the firm.

Another dual national 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 associated with this individual conducted many bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam displacement camp, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the camp was handed over 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 company, with one identified as a person of "significant control".

The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".

Impact on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, trainers, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These drones proved instrumental in the capture 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 daily 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 noted that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the absence of strict vetting when firms are established.

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

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and running UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an expression of regret 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, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is demanding an immediate end to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to aid delivery."

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