South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near a shiny soccer ground of a Premier League club in London lies a squat, nondescript block of flats. Behind its ordinary beige brickwork lies a grim reality: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

Per UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a international web of companies involved in the mass hiring of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of numerous atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former South American Soldiers Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been recruited to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the RSF's capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a killing frenzy that experts believe has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While reports of violence mount, connections have been found between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and addresses in the UK capital.

London Flat Connected to Censured Firm

The apartment in north London is registered to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two people identified and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the US treasury imposed restrictions on those running the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the centre of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company based from a apartment in the capital," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks

Analysts argue the saga raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the UK capital.

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

When questioned about the company, Companies House did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or verify the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Headed by Former Soldier

Per the American authorities, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and retired Colombian military officer located in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian employment agency. His spouse was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures set up a company in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

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

The penalized people are listed in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The hiring of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for drones.

These aircraft were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting in other regions.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," added the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a London firm underlined broader concerns over the absence of rigorous checks when firms are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a license for criminals to do deals with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a gym in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A government source said that the recent introduction of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was establishing and controlling UK companies.

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

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

The UAE, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report 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 halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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