Erik Prince's forces are ambushed in Congo, killing at least seven as ex-UFC fighter Tim Kennedy is shot three times

From the Newshound archive · first published 10 October 2026.

Blackwater founder Erik Prince's private military company Vectus Global suffered its first known casualties in the Democratic Republic of Congo after enemy forces ambushed its fighters in South Kivu on September 17, leaving at least 20 people dead or wounded. Among those killed were at least seven Congolese nationals and a former New Zealand Special Forces member. Former US Green Beret and UFC fighter Tim Kennedy survived after being shot three times in the leg and is now receiving treatment at Walter Reed.

Rwandan forces backing M23 rebels may have tracked a surveillance drone to the ambush site, exposing Prince's fighters to the attack.

The clash reveals Prince's expanded combat role in Congo through Vectus Global, a company whose operations extend to Haiti and other parts of Africa.

Kennedy's injuries were first reported on a veteran special operator's podcast this week, before sources confirmed the wider scale of the disaster.