Foreign security contractors linked to US businessman Erik Prince have suffered casualties in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlighting the growing role of private foreign operators in a conflict shaped by regional rivalries and competition over mineral resources.
The September 17 attack in South Kivu left about 20 people dead or wounded, including at least seven Congolese nationals and a former New Zealand special forces member, Reuters reported on October 9, citing sources close to the Congolese government and Prince’s company, Vectus Global. The wounded included Tim Kennedy, a former US Army Green Beret and UFC fighter, who sustained three gunshot wounds to the leg.
The circumstances of the ambush remain disputed. Sources cited by Reuters said Rwandan forces may have tracked a surveillance drone to the group’s location. Two other sources attributed the attack to the Rwandan military. Representatives of the Congolese and Rwandan governments and the AFC/M23 rebel group did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Rwanda denies supporting M23, although the United Nations and Western governments have said Kigali provides the group with military support.
From Mineral Security to Conflict-Zone Operations
Vectus Global provides consulting and security services and has expanded its activities in the DRC beyond its initial mandate. An agreement reached in 2025 focused on improving state revenue collection from the country’s mineral sector and curbing cross-border smuggling.
The company deployed personnel to Uvira, in South Kivu, in January and early February 2026, after Washington helped broker an arrangement for Rwanda-backed rebels to withdraw from the strategic town. Their reported activities marked a shift toward operations closer to active hostilities, where surveillance and technical support can expose contractors to the same battlefield risks that local forces face.
The scale of Vectus Global’s presence in the DRC remains unclear. A company representative declined to comment on the September ambush, according to Reuters.
Separately, Africa Intelligence reported on October 8 that Prince was in talks with Congolese authorities over a contract worth about $65 million to provide technical and logistical support to the Congolese armed forces, particularly in aviation. The report did not establish that the contract had been finalized.
Foreign Involvement Without a US Military Deployment
Prince, founder of the now-defunct private security company Blackwater, is a supporter of US President Donald Trump. His involvement in the DRC has attracted attention as Kinshasa seeks outside assistance to strengthen state control over mineral revenues and respond to the security crisis in the east. However, Prince’s links to Trump do not establish that Vectus Global operates on behalf of the US government. The US State Department has said it has no contracts with Prince in the DRC.
The ambush underscores the risks facing foreign private operators working alongside Congolese forces in a conflict that involves local armed groups and wider regional tensions. It also raises questions about the boundaries between commercial security services, support for national armed forces and direct exposure to combat.
As the DRC continues to seek external support for its security and mineral-sector objectives, the role of private contractors is becoming an increasingly important part of the conflict’s international dimension.
