Retired US Army Special Forces operator Tim Kennedy was wounded, while a former member of New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) was killed when military contractors linked to Blackwater founder Erik Prince were ambushed in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo, on September 17, media reports said. About 20 people died or were injured in the ambush, Reuters reported on October 9. ALSO READ: Erik Prince in talks with Kinshasa on $65m military logistics deal: reports The team was working for Vectus Global, a security and consulting company headed by Prince. At least seven Congolese nationals were killed, while Kennedy, a former UFC fighter, and another member of Prince’s team were wounded, according to Reuters. Kennedy, who became known through his mixed martial arts career and later as a podcast host, reportedly sustained three gunshot wounds to the leg. He is said to be receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington suburbs. The deceased New Zealand veteran was identified in other reports as Justin Conaglen, a former member of the country’s elite special operations forces. ALSO READ: DR Congo: European mercenaries surrender to M23, get safe passage through Rwanda Reports said the mercenaries were ambushed by AFC/M23, the movement fighting a coalition comprising the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), Burundian troops, the Kinshasa-backed FDLR genocidal militia, Wazalendo armed groups. The Vectus Global team was travelling between locations when the attack occurred. ALSO READ: Mercenaries in the DRC crisis: What it means legally and ethically Prince, a former US Navy SEAL, initially became involved in DR Congo through efforts to secure and improve government revenue collection from the country’s vast mineral resources, which have been plundered for decades amid persistent conflict in the east. His role expanded in January and early February, when his personnel deployed to Uvira, a strategic town in South Kivu, following the withdrawal of AFC/M23 forces. The deployment brought Prince’s personnel closer to frontline military operations as Kinshasa sought to strengthen its position against AFC/M23, which has controlled large swathes of territory in eastern DR Congo since January 2025, including Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces. ALSO READ: Eastern DR Congo experienced record number of drone attacks in February - report The size of Vectus Global’s contingent in DR Congo remains unclear. Reports have also pointed to renewed discussions over a $65 million military logistics deal that would allow Prince’s continued involvement as Kinshasa seeks to sustain its military campaign. Fighting has continued between the Congolese government coalition and AFC/M23 movementdespite a ceasefire agreement signed in Doha, Qatar in October 2025. ALSO READ: 315 killed in Kinshasa attacks on Minembwe in five months - report Government coalition forces have continued bombardments and airstrikes in North and South Kivu, including in densely populated areas where civilians have been killed. Minembwe, in South Kivu, has been particularly vulnerable to the intensified aerial campaign as fighting escalates along frontlines in both provinces. Use of mercenaries The Congolese government has faced criticism for its use of mercenaries in the conflict that began in late 2021. This issue came to light in late January 2025 when nearly 300 Romanian mercenaries were granted safe passage through Rwanda after surrendering to AFC/M23. International law places restrictions on the recruitment, financing, training and use of mercenaries. The 1989 United Nations Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries requires states parties to prohibit and criminalise specified mercenary-related activities and cooperate in preventing and prosecuting relevant offences. The 1977 Organisation of African Unity Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism treats mercenarism as a crime against peace and security in Africa. It provides for criminal responsibility for individuals and entities involved in mercenary activities and addresses the responsibilities of states and their representatives. ALSO READ: DR Congo army blamed for drone attack that killed 20 civilians, injured dozens Despite these restrictions, Kinshasa continues to rely on mercenaries in its military campaign. Prince founded Blackwater, a private military company that became prominent during the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company was disbanded after international scrutiny over its personnel’s conduct in conflict zones, particularly the 2007 killing of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad. Some former Blackwater employees convicted over the killings were pardoned by US President Donald Trump in 2020.
