South American Mercenaries in the Sudanese Conflict Allegedly Hired by British-Based Firms
Tucked away close to a shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in the British capital lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable beige brickwork lies a dark secret: a small second-floor apartment linked to murderous atrocities unfolding thousands of miles to the south.
Per British official documents, this apartment in north London is connected to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of mercenaries to fight in the African nation alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad war crimes and genocide.
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 paramilitary group responsible for mass rapes, targeted killings, and the widespread killing of civilians.
These contractors were key participants in the RSF's capture of the western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost over 60,000 lives.
As accounts of atrocities increase, connections have been identified between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.
London Flat Connected to Censured Company
The flat in Tottenham is listed to a company named Zeuz Global, established by two people named and sanctioned recently by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.
Both individuals ā Colombian nationals in their 50s ā are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.
The company is 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 corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.
Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had listed their postcodes.
"This is of major concern that the key individuals the US government claims are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in the capital," stated an expert, a researcher and former member of a United Nations group on Sudan.
Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks
Experts argue the situation raises questions over how individuals openly censured by the US for "contributing to the conflict in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a company in the UK capital.
The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "organized murder, torture and assault" following the groupās capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.
When questioned about Zeuz Global, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the company's operations or verify the location of the sanctioned individuals.
Reaching out to Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its online site, created in spring, was marked as "under construction" with lacking information.
Operation Headed by Retired Officer
According to the American authorities, the man at the heart of the South American recruitment operation for the RSF is a dual Colombian-Italian national and former army officer based in the Gulf state.
The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring ex-military personnel to be sent to Sudan using a BogotĆ”-based employment agency. His wife was also sanctioned for running the agency.
Another individual with two citizenships was also sanctioned for overseeing a business accused of handling funds and salaries for the operation hiring the mercenaries.
"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in numerous wire transfers, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.
Company Registration and Escalating Violence
In April of the current year, the sanctioned individuals set up a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd ā later re-branded Zeuz Global.
Three days later, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam displacement camp, slaughtering more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.
The penalized people are named in official UK documents as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".
The two describe the UK as their "place of residency".
Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns
The recruitment of the South Americans has had a profound impact on the trajectory of the war, experts state. These nationals have reportedly trained children to be combatants, as well as acting as snipers, foot soldiers, instructors, and operators for drones.
These drones proved key 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 daily fatalities," added the expert. "These weapons require outside assistance to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a major component of this external assistance."
He noted that the participation of sanctioned individuals in a UK company highlighted wider worries 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 legitimate counterparts. It's still more difficult to join a fitness centre in most cases than to set up a UK company," he stated.
Official Reaction and Ongoing Allegations
A government source stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and running UK companies.
The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, prompting an apology from Colombiaās foreign ministry.
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 connected to the hiring of Colombian mercenaries. A report alleged that Emirati business people providing fighters to the RSF were connected to a senior UAE government official. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.
A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the lifting of barriers to aid delivery."
They noted that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF leaders for their part in the crimes in El Fasher.
