Eight Killed in Eastern Congo Ambush Targeting Erik Prince Security Firm
Eight people were killed and over a dozen injured in an ambush in eastern Congo targeting a security force from Erik Prince's firm Vectus Global, with the Rwandan military suspected of involvement.
A deadly ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in mid-September resulted in the deaths of eight people and left over a dozen injured, according to reports. The attack targeted a security force belonging to Vectus Global, a private security firm owned by Erik Prince. Reuters reported that the Rwandan military is suspected of direct involvement in the operation.
The ambush took place on September 17 in South Kivu province. According to reports citing sources familiar with the details, seven Congolese civilians and a former New Zealand special forces operative were killed in the incident. Tim Kennedy, a former professional UFC fighter and U.S. military veteran, was shot three times in the leg. He was subsequently evacuated for treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center near Washington, D.C. Several other local residents and a foreign mercenary were also injured.
Security Deployment and Context
Vectus Global was deployed earlier this year to the city of Uvira to assist the local military against the M23 rebel group, which controls vast territories in the region and receives backing from neighboring Rwanda. Sources noted that the high level of sophistication in the attack points to possible Rwandan military involvement, potentially utilizing surveillance drones to track the security team.
This reinforces the need to restore sovereignty to Congo. It is an extremely dangerous place right now, a source familiar with the situation explained.
Background and Political Ties
The initial objective of the deployment was to secure the nation's mineral wealth and improve tax collection mechanisms around natural resources. Prince, the founder of the prominent private military firm Blackwater, is known to have ties to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. State Department clarified that it holds no active contracts with Prince in the DRC. However, the subsequent withdrawal of rebels from Uvira has been linked to mediation efforts led by the Trump administration aimed at ending the conflict while securing U.S. access to critical minerals in the region. Vectus Global, along with representatives of Rwanda and the M23 movement, declined to comment on the reports.