South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Reportedly Hired by UK-Registered Firms

Tucked away near a gleaming football stadium of a Premier League club in London is a squat, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable beige brickwork exists a grim secret: a small second-floor apartment connected to murderous crimes taking place a vast distance to the south.

According to British official documents, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is tied to a international network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.

Scores of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

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

These contractors were key participants in the RSF's seizure of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a killing frenzy that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.

As reports of violence mount, links have been identified between the fighters hired to capture El Fasher and locations in the city of London.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The flat in north London is listed to a company called Zeuz Global, established by two individuals named and penalized last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are described in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.

The firm remains active. The day after the United States announced sanctions on those running the Colombian mercenary operation, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its registered address to the very heart of London. Its new postcode matches one luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their postcodes.

"It is of major concern that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company based from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Checks

Analysts argue the situation raises concerns over how people publicly sanctioned by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently set up and run a firm in the UK capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, 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 Zeuz Global, Companies House did not respond on whether it had knowledge of the firm’s activities or confirm the residency status of the sanctioned individuals.

Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, set up in spring, was labelled as "under construction" with no contact details.

Operation Led by Retired Officer

According to the US treasury, the figure at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer located in the Gulf state.

The US accuses this individual of having a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also penalized for owning and managing the firm.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, companies in America associated with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the penalized figures registered a company in north London named ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting 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.

Both list the UK as their "place of residency".

Effect on the War and Wider Issues

The recruitment of the Colombians has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly instructed minors to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for drones.

These drones were instrumental in the fall of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.

"The war in Sudan is a technologically advanced one, with precision munitions and long-range drones causing daily fatalities," added the expert. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a major component of this outside support."

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries over the lack of rigorous checks when companies are set up.

"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with respectable entities. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to establish a UK company," he stated.

Official Reaction and Continuing Claims

A government source stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for company directors would provide more confidence about who was establishing 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 fighters recently confirmed that he had trained children in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the hiring of the contractors. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an immediate end to atrocities, the safety of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to humanitarian access."

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