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

Tucked away near the shiny soccer ground of Tottenham Hotspur in London lies a plain, unremarkable apartment building. Behind its unremarkable facade exists a dark secret: a cramped flat connected to murderous crimes unfolding a vast distance to the south.

According to UK government records, this apartment in the capital is connected to a transnational web of companies implicated in the large-scale recruitment of mercenaries to fight in Sudan alongside militias charged of myriad atrocities and ethnic cleansing.

Scores of Former Colombian Military Enlisted

Hundreds of former Colombian military personnel have been enlisted to serve with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a armed faction blamed for sexual violence, ethnic slaughter, and the systematic murder of civilians.

Colombian mercenaries were directly involved in the RSF's seizure of the south-western Sudanese city of El Fasher in late October, which sparked a wave of violence that analysts say has claimed over 60,000 lives.

While accounts of violence increase, connections have been found between the mercenaries hired to overrun El Fasher and locations in the UK capital.

UK Address Linked to Sanctioned Company

The apartment in Tottenham is registered to a corporation named Zeuz Global, set up by two individuals named and sanctioned recently by the US treasury for hiring contractors to fight for the RSF.

Both figures – citizens of Colombia in their 50s – are listed in records at the UK company registry as living in Britain.

The firm remains operational. The day after the US treasury announced restrictions on those behind the recruitment network, Zeuz Global suddenly relocated its official location to the centre of central London. Its updated address matches a luxury accommodation in a central district.

The establishments in question said they had no connection to Zeuz Global and were unaware why the firm had listed their addresses.

"This is of serious worry that the key individuals the US government states are orchestrating this mercenary supply have been able to set up a UK company operating from a flat in north London," said an expert, a analyst and former member of a UN panel on Sudan.

Concerns Voiced Over UK Company Oversight

Experts argue the situation highlights concerns over how individuals openly censured by the US for "fueling the conflict in Sudan" were able to apparently establish and operate a firm in the British capital.

The British foreign secretary has censured the RSF for "systematic killings, abuse and assault" following the faction's capture of El Fasher. The RSF has been charged by the US with genocide.

When asked about Zeuz Global, the registry did not comment on whether it had knowledge of the company's activities or confirm the location of the sanctioned individuals.

Contacting Zeuz proved unsuccessful; its website, created in May, was marked as "being built" with no contact details.

Network Led by Retired Officer

According to the American authorities, the figure 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 alleges this individual of having a key part in recruiting ex-military personnel to be deployed to Sudan using a Colombian recruitment firm. His wife was also sanctioned for owning and managing the agency.

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

"During 2024 and 2025, US-based firms associated with this individual engaged in numerous bank transactions, amounting to millions of US dollars," the official announcement read.

Company Registration and Escalating Violence

In spring of this year, the sanctioned individuals registered a firm in the UK capital called ODP8 Ltd – later renamed Zeuz Global.

Shortly after, the RSF attacked the Zamzam camp for displaced people, killing more than 1,500 innocent people. After its seizure, the site was transferred to Colombian mercenaries, who began preparations for assaulting El Fasher.

The penalized people are listed in Companies House records as owning "starting shares" in the company, with one named as a person of "significant control".

Both list the UK 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 war, experts state. These fighters have allegedly instructed minors to be soldiers, as well as serving as snipers, infantrymen, trainers, and pilots for drones.

These aircraft were 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 regular fatalities," added the analyst. "These systems require external help to operate. We know that the Colombian mercenary operation has been a significant part of this external assistance."

He added that the involvement of sanctioned individuals in a UK company underlined broader concerns over the lack of strict vetting when firms are established.

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

Government Response and Ongoing Allegations

A UK official stated that the new rollout of "mandatory identity verification" for corporate officers would provide more confidence about who was setting up and controlling UK companies.

The Colombians’ involvement 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 instructed minors in Sudan and fought in El Fasher.

The United Arab Emirates, long accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, has also been linked to the recruitment of Colombian mercenaries. A investigation alleged that Emirati business people providing Colombians to the RSF were linked to a high-ranking Emirati figure. The UAE has consistently denied these claims.

A British government spokesperson commented: "The UK is calling for an halt to atrocities, the protection of non-combatants, and the removal of barriers to aid delivery."

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