Private security personnel working for Blackwater founder Erik Prince suffered heavy casualties in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month, with former UFC fighter and US Special Forces veteran Tim Kennedy among those wounded, according to a Reuters investigation published Friday.
The September 17 attack in South Kivu province left approximately 20 people dead or injured, according to sources familiar with the operation, highlighting the growing involvement of foreign private security contractors in Congo’s long-running conflict.
The casualties reportedly included at least seven Congolese nationals and a former member of New Zealand’s Special Forces. Kennedy, a former US Army Green Beret and mixed martial arts fighter, survived after sustaining three gunshot wounds to his leg.
Three sources told Reuters that Kennedy was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center near Washington.
The ambush marked the first reported casualties suffered by Vectus Global, Prince’s security and consulting company, during its operations in Congo.
Suspicions of Rwandan military involvement
Three sources cited by Reuters suggested that Rwandan military personnel were involved in the attack, although responsibility has not been independently established.
One source working with the Congolese government said the attackers may have identified the contractors’ location by tracking a surveillance drone used during their operations.
Another source with direct knowledge of the incident described the ambush as highly coordinated, suggesting that the attackers possessed advanced intelligence and operational capabilities.
Two additional sources attributed the operation directly to the Rwandan military.
A Congolese security source also suggested that civilians from nearby villages may have been among those killed or wounded.
Neither Rwanda’s government nor the M23 rebel movement, which controls significant territory in eastern Congo, immediately responded to requests for comment.
Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23, despite allegations from the United Nations and Western governments that Kigali provides military assistance and exercises influence over the group’s operations.
Prince’s expanding military role
Prince, a prominent supporter of US President Donald Trump, originally entered Congo through an arrangement intended to improve security and revenue collection around the country’s mineral resources.
His company, Vectus Global, subsequently expanded its activities into security operations linked to the Congolese military.
In January and February, personnel associated with Prince deployed to Uvira, a strategically important town in South Kivu, after Washington helped negotiate the withdrawal of Rwanda-backed rebels from the area.
The deployment represented a significant expansion from the company’s initial focus on protecting mineral revenues into involvement in an active conflict zone.
The precise number of Vectus personnel operating in Congo remains unknown.
A representative of the company declined to comment on the September ambush.
Prince previously founded Blackwater, the private military company whose contractors became internationally notorious following the killing of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in 2007. Four former Blackwater contractors convicted in connection with the killings were pardoned by Trump in 2020.
The US State Department has previously said it holds no contracts with Prince for operations in Congo, although American officials have indicated plans for closer cooperation with Vectus Global in Haiti.
Former UFC fighter among survivors
Kennedy, who previously competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and served in US Special Forces, has developed a substantial online following through podcasts and commentary covering military affairs, politics and fitness.
His participation in the Congo operation had not been publicly disclosed before reports of his injuries emerged.
Earlier in the week, another veteran special operations figure revealed on a podcast that Kennedy had been wounded in Congo, without detailing the broader scale of the casualties.
Reuters subsequently spoke with at least 10 sources familiar with the attack or briefed on its aftermath.
Kennedy’s representatives and family did not immediately provide public confirmation of the circumstances surrounding his injuries, while Walter Reed and the State Department declined to comment.
Congo conflict threatens US-backed peace efforts
The attack comes amid persistent instability in eastern Congo despite diplomatic agreements brokered by the Trump administration aimed at reducing hostilities between Kinshasa and Kigali.
M23 fighters launched a major offensive in 2025, capturing substantial territory in the mineral-rich eastern provinces and intensifying an already devastating humanitarian crisis.
The region holds important deposits of tantalum, gold, lithium and other minerals critical to global manufacturing and technology supply chains.
Competition over territory, mineral resources and political influence has contributed to decades of violence involving Congolese forces, regional militaries and numerous armed groups.
The involvement of Prince-linked security personnel adds another dimension to the conflict, raising questions about the expanding role of private foreign military contractors in operations traditionally carried out by national armed forces.
The September ambush also underscores the risks facing foreign personnel operating near contested front lines, even as Washington pursues diplomatic initiatives intended to stabilise the region.
The account of the ambush, reported casualties and suspected perpetrators is based on Reuters’ October 9 investigation. Responsibility for the attack remains disputed and has not been independently confirmed.
