South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Hired by British-Based Companies

Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of a Premier League club in the British capital lies a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a grim secret: a cramped second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries accused of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Ex- Colombian Military Enlisted

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a killing frenzy that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the mercenaries contracted to capture El Fasher and addresses in the city of London.

UK Address Connected to Censured Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to combat for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at Companies House as living in Britain.

The firm is active. The following day the United States imposed restrictions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its registered address to the very heart of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to one luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"It is of serious worry that the primary figures the US government claims are orchestrating this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company operating from a flat in the capital," stated Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Analysts say the saga highlights questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a company in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has condemned the RSF for "organized murder, abuse and sexual violence" following the group’s capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.

Reaching out to Zeuz was unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with no contact details.

Network Led by Former Soldier

Per the US treasury, the man at the centre of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the Gulf state.

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for running the firm.

Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Firm Establishment and Escalating Violence

In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, killing over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as holding "initial shareholdings" in the firm, with one identified as a key controller.

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

Effect on the War and Broader Concerns

The hiring of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have allegedly trained children to be combatants, as well as serving as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during fighting 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 analyst. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this outside support."

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

"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 gym in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

The Colombians’ involvement in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an expression of regret from the South American nation's government.

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that UAE nationals providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

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