Steve Wembi reported that an ambush attributed to the AFC/M23 had resulted in about 20 dead and wounded among the forces of Vectus Global, Erik Prince's security company, in South Kivu on September 17, 2026. According to sources close to the Congolese government and the company, cited by Wembi, the dead included at least seven Congolese and a former member of the New Zealand special forces. Tim Kennedy, a former UFC fighter and ex-member of the U.S. special forces, had been injured and reportedly received three bullet wounds to the leg. Wembi also relayed the remarks of an East African security expert, who described the mercenaries as illegal fighters and war criminals, accusing them of disregarding any rules of engagement. He wrote that Vectus Global's role in the DRC had expanded from securing mining revenues to conducting security support operations in the eastern part of the country. According to his account, Erik Prince's men had deployed to Uvira after the AFC/M23 withdrew from the city in January 2026. #RDC #Sécurité #Conflit (translated)
