Forces linked to Erik Prince, the Blackwater founder, suffered a major battlefield loss in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-September, when enemy fighters ambushed them. Sources close to the Congolese government and to Prince’s company said the attack killed and wounded at least 20 people, including a former UFC fighter who is well known to fans of mixed martial arts.
The frontline clash highlights the expanded role Prince has taken on in Congo through his company, Vectus Global. Prince is an ally and supporter of US President Donald Trump. The details of his forces’ involvement and the number of casualties had not been reported before this account.
Ambush in South Kivu leaves about 20 dead and wounded
Two sources working with Congo’s government said the attack took place in South Kivu on September 17 and left about 20 people dead or wounded. The dead included at least seven Congolese nationals and a former member of New Zealand’s Special Forces. The wounded included Tim Kennedy and another foreign contractor, the sources said.
A Vectus Global representative declined to comment. A source with direct knowledge of the operation said the company had not previously suffered casualties in Congo. The company, which also operates in Haiti and other parts of Africa, provides consulting and security services. It had previously helped Congo’s army secure the city of Uvira in South Kivu against Rwanda-backed rebels, who control large areas of the east.
The Vectus team was travelling between locations when the ambush happened, one source with direct knowledge said. That source said the attack’s sophistication suggested Rwandan forces were involved. Two other sources said the ambush was carried out by the Rwandan military. A source working for Congo’s government said Rwandan forces backing the M23 rebels may have surprised the team by tracking a surveillance drone to its location.
Spokespeople for the Congolese and Rwandan governments and for the M23 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. One source said the situation was dangerous, and added: “It reinforces the need for DRC sovereignty to be restored. It’s an incredibly dangerous place right now.”
Tim Kennedy recovering after gunshot wounds
Three sources said Kennedy, a former US Green Beret and former mixed martial arts contestant, survived the attack with three gunshot wounds to the leg. He is being treated at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the suburbs of Washington.
Kennedy has a popular podcast channel and millions of followers on social media. A veteran special operator had reported on his own podcast earlier in the week that Kennedy had been injured in Congo. Trump is a fan of the UFC and hosted fights at the White House this year.
The State Department and Walter Reed declined to comment. Kennedy’s parents did not respond to requests for comment. In late August, Kennedy had posted about having meaningful conversations with his son about manhood and sacrifice, but he did not share details of his planned trip to Congo.
A Congolese security source, who said about 20 people were wounded or killed in the attack, added that villagers were likely among the casualties as well. The account drew on at least 10 sources who either had direct knowledge of the attack or had been briefed on its outcome.
Prince’s expanded role in Congo’s mineral-rich conflict
Prince’s initial mandate in Congo was to secure and improve revenue collection from the country’s vast mineral reserves. Those reserves have been plundered for decades, fuelling conflict in the east. His role grew in January and early February, when his forces deployed to Uvira after Washington helped broker a deal for Rwandan-backed rebels to withdraw from the strategic town. The size of Prince’s forces in Congo is unclear.
The State Department has said it has no contracts with Prince in Congo. US officials have said they plan to work more closely with Vectus Global in Haiti. The Uvira withdrawal deal was part of wider agreements brokered by the Trump administration to try to end the conflict in eastern Congo.
The United Nations and Western powers say Rwanda backs the M23 and even exercises command and control over the group. Rwanda denies this. Fighting in the decades-long conflict flared early last year, with M23 fighters making rapid gains in the east, a region rich in tantalum, gold, lithium and other minerals.
