The forces of US private security contractor Erik Prince suffered major battlefield losses in DR Congo last month, a new report found, calling into question his controversial firm’s actions in the country.
Prince, employees of whose previous company Blackwater carried out a civilian massacre in Iraq in 2007, has focused on expanding his presence in the central African nation — where the army is fighting Rwanda-backed M23 rebels — to curry favor with US President Donald Trump.
DR Congo has sought to speed up the implementation of a strategic mining partnership with Washington, which is looking to rival China’s access to critical minerals in Africa. However, insecurity remains a major challenge in the country.
Prince’s forces have been deployed to secure mineral-rich areas and curb smuggling to provide investor-friendly access to conflict-hit areas. DR Congo, the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component in electronics, has already received US investment under the agreement and is looking to attract more Western funds.
— Jeronimo Gonzalez and Alexis Akwagyiram