South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by British-Based Firms

Situated near a gleaming football stadium of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable block of flats. Behind its ordinary facade exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous atrocities unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international web of firms involved in the mass recruitment of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside militias accused of myriad 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 the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for sexual violence, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of women and children.

These contractors were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

As reports of atrocities mount, connections have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Censured Company

The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals identified and sanctioned last week by the US treasury for recruiting Colombian mercenaries to combat for the RSF.

Both figures – Colombian nationals in their fifties – are described in records at the UK company registry as resident in the United Kingdom.

The firm is operational. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in Covent Garden.

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

"This is of major concern that the primary figures the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in the capital," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Questions Raised Over UK Company Checks

Experts argue the situation raises questions over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or verify the residency status of the penalized people.

Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.

Network Led by Former Soldier

According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US alleges this individual of playing a central role in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.

Another dual national was also sanctioned for managing a company accused of processing money and salaries for the network employing the Colombian fighters.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual conducted numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

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

Three days later, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering more than 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for attacking El Fasher.

The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a key controller.

The two describe Britain as their "country of residence".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, foot soldiers, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.

These aircraft proved instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and long-range drones causing daily civilian deaths," said the expert. "These systems require outside assistance to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He added that the participation of penalized persons in a London firm underlined wider worries over the lack of strict vetting when companies are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license 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 said.

Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official said that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide greater assurance about who was setting up and controlling UK firms.

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

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

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were linked to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has consistently denied these allegations.

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

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