South American Mercenaries in Sudan Allegedly Recruited by British-Based Companies

Tucked away near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Beyond its ordinary facade lies a grim reality: a cramped second-floor apartment linked to deadly crimes taking place thousands of miles to the south.

According to UK government records, this one-bedroom flat in the capital is connected to a transnational network of firms implicated in the large-scale hiring of fighters to fight in Sudan alongside paramilitaries charged of myriad atrocities and genocide.

Hundreds of Ex- South American Soldiers Recruited

A large number of ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to fight with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group blamed for mass rapes, ethnic slaughter, and the widespread murder of women and children.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the paramilitaries’ seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which triggered a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.

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

London Flat Connected to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is listed to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two people named and penalized last week by the American authorities for recruiting contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both individuals – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are described in documents at the UK company registry as resident in Britain.

The firm remains active. The following day the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global abruptly moved its official location to the centre of central London. Its new postcode corresponds to a luxury accommodation in a central district.

Both hotels said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had used their addresses.

"It is of major concern that the primary figures the US government states are directing this fighter recruitment have been able to establish a UK company based from a apartment in north London," stated Mike Lewis, a analyst and ex-participant of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over British Firm 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 company in the British capital.

The UK's top diplomat has condemned the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and sexual violence" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with genocide.

When questioned about the company, the registry did not respond on whether it had awareness of the firm’s operations or confirm the residency status 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.

Operation Headed by Retired Officer

Per the American authorities, the man at the heart of the Colombian recruiting network for the RSF is a citizen of two countries and former army officer based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US accuses this individual of playing a key part in hiring former Colombian soldiers to be sent to Sudan using a Bogotá-based employment agency. His wife was also penalized for running the agency.

Another individual with two citizenships was similarly censured for overseeing a company alleged of handling funds and payroll for the operation hiring the mercenaries.

"In 2024 and 2025, US-based firms linked with this individual conducted many bank transactions, totalling many millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in north London called ODP8 Ltd – later re-branded Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 civilians. After its capture, the camp was handed over to the hired fighters, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.

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

Both list Britain as their "place of residency".

Effect on the Conflict and Broader Concerns

The recruitment of the South Americans has had a significant effect on the trajectory of the conflict, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as acting as snipers, infantrymen, instructors, and operators for unmanned aircraft.

These drones were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during fighting in surrounding areas.

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

He noted that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a London firm highlighted broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

"Having a UK company like this is a license 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 Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "compulsory ID checks" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was establishing and controlling UK firms.

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

One of the fighters recently confirmed that he had instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The UAE, repeatedly alleged of arming the RSF, has also been linked to the hiring of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying fighters to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these allegations.

A UK official said: "The UK is calling for an halt to violence, the safety of non-combatants, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."

They noted that the UK had also imposed restrictions on RSF commanders for their role in the atrocities in El Fasher.