Erik Prince's Vectus Global Suffers Major Loss in Congo
Vectus Global forces suffered at least 20 casualties in a September 17 ambush in South Kivu, with sources attributing the attack to Rwandan military forces.
Forces led by Vectus Global, a security company founded by Erik Prince, suffered a major battlefield loss on September 17 in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. An ambush resulted in approximately 20 casualties, including seven Congolese nationals and a former member of New Zealand's Special Forces. Among the wounded was Tim Kennedy, a former US Green Beret and UFC contestant, who is currently receiving treatment for three gunshot wounds to the leg at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Sources close to the Congolese government and other reports attribute the attack to the military of Rwanda or Rwandan forces backing M23 rebels. These sources suggest the attackers may have used a surveillance drone to track the team's location. The operation follows a period of expansion for Vectus Global, which moved from securing mineral revenues to active military operations, including assisting the Congolese army in securing the city of Uvira.
This incident follows a previous failure in January 2025, when nearly 300 foreign contractors surrendered to UN peacekeepers during the fall of Goma. While the United States Department of State denies having contracts with Prince in Congo, the Trump administration previously brokered deals for rebel withdrawals in the region. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has publicly criticized the effectiveness of foreign mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
