South American Mercenaries in Sudan Reportedly Recruited by UK-Registered Companies
Situated near the gleaming soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, nondescript apartment building. Beyond its unremarkable facade exists a grim secret: a cramped flat linked to deadly crimes unfolding thousands of miles to the south.
Per British official documents, this apartment in the capital is tied to a international network of firms involved in the large-scale hiring of fighters 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 ex-soldiers from Colombia have been enlisted to serve with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic killing of women and children.
Colombian mercenaries were key participants in the paramilitaries’ capture of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in recent months, which sparked a wave of violence that experts believe has cost at least 60,000 lives.
As reports of violence increase, connections have been found between the fighters contracted to overrun El Fasher and locations in the city of London.
UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Firm
The flat in Tottenham is registered to a corporation called Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned last week by the American authorities for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.
Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their fifties – are listed in documents at the UK company registry as living in the United Kingdom.
The company is active. The day after the United States imposed sanctions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the very heart of London. Its updated address corresponds to one five-star hotel in Covent Garden.
Both hotels stated they had no link to Zeuz Global and had no idea why the firm had used their addresses.
"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the American authorities states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a apartment in north London," said Mike Lewis, a researcher and ex-participant of a United Nations group on Sudan.
Concerns Voiced Over British Firm Checks
Analysts say the saga raises concerns over how individuals publicly sanctioned by the US for "contributing to the civil war in Sudan" were able to seemingly set up and run a firm in the UK capital.
The UK's top diplomat has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's seizure of El Fasher. The RSF has been accused by the US with acts of genocide.
When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had awareness of the firm’s activities or confirm the location of the penalized people.
Contacting Zeuz proved fruitless; its website, created in May, was labelled as "being built" with no contact details.
Operation Headed by Former Soldier
According to the US treasury, the figure at the centre 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 alleges this individual of playing a central role in recruiting former Colombian soldiers to be deployed 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 business alleged of handling funds and salaries for the network employing the mercenaries.
"In 2024 and 2025, companies in America linked with this individual engaged in many bank transactions, amounting to many millions of US dollars," the US treasury statement said.
Company Registration and Intensifying Conflict
In spring of the current year, the penalized figures set up a company in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.
Shortly after, the RSF assaulted the Zamzam camp for displaced people, slaughtering over 1,500 innocent people. After its capture, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began planning for assaulting El Fasher.
The sanctioned individuals are named in official UK documents as holding "starting shares" in the firm, with one identified as a person of "significant control".
The two list the UK as their "country of residence".
Impact on the Conflict and Broader Concerns
The recruitment of the Colombians has had a significant effect on the course of the conflict, analysts say. These fighters have reportedly trained children to be soldiers, as well as serving as marksmen, infantrymen, instructors, and pilots for unmanned aircraft.
These aircraft were instrumental in the capture of El Fasher and during combat in surrounding areas.
"The war in Sudan is a hi-tech one, with guided weapons and remote aircraft causing regular civilian deaths," added the analyst. "These weapons require external help to operate. We know that the recruitment network has been a significant part of this external assistance."
He added that the involvement of penalized persons in a UK company highlighted broader concerns over the lack of rigorous checks when firms are established.
"Having a UK company like this is a passport for criminals to do business with legitimate counterparts. 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 government source said that the recent introduction of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.
The role of the South Americans in Sudan first came to light last year, leading to an apology from the South American nation's government.
One of the fighters recently admitted that he had instructed minors in Sudan and seen combat in El Fasher.
The United Arab Emirates, long accused of arming the RSF, has also been connected to the recruitment of the contractors. A report alleged that Emirati business people supplying Colombians to the RSF were connected to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has repeatedly rejected these claims.
A UK official commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of civilians, and the removal of obstacles to humanitarian access."
They added that the UK had recently sanctioned RSF commanders for their role in the crimes in El Fasher.