New Details Emerge About Tim Kennedy's Congo Ambush
The former UFC fighter was working for a private security company led by Blackwater founder Erik Prince when an ambush left one contractor dead and around 20 people dead or injured.
New details have emerged about the ambush that left former UFC fighter Tim Kennedy wounded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in September. According to a report by MMA Weekly, sources close to the Congolese government said Kennedy and his fellow contractors were assigned to a ground clearing operation linked to efforts to protect mining revenue, combat smuggling, and collect taxes for the government.
The attack took place on Sept. 17 in South Kivu province, in eastern Congo. Kennedy reportedly sustained three gunshot wounds to his leg, while former New Zealand Special Air Service member Justin Conaglen was killed in the confrontation.
Tim Kennedy Was Working With Vectus Global Contractors
Kennedy was reportedly part of a three-man contractor team working for Vectus Global, a private security company led by Blackwater founder Erik Prince. The team also included Conaglen and an unidentified third contractor, who was wounded in the ambush.
According to Reuters, sources close to the Congolese government said the confrontation left approximately 20 people dead or injured. At least seven Congolese nationals were among the casualties, while a Congolese security source said villagers were likely among those affected.
Vectus Global has expanded its role in the country beyond advising on mineral revenue collection. The company previously deployed personnel to help secure the strategic city of Uvira in South Kivu following an agreement aimed at the withdrawal of Rwanda-backed rebels.
The latest reporting offers further insight into the operation that Kennedy's team was conducting when the ambush occurred. However, important details remain unclear, including the identities of the attackers and the precise circumstances that led to the confrontation.
Attackers' Identities Remain Unconfirmed
Sources cited by Reuters suggested that Rwandan forces may have been involved in the attack, with one source close to the Congolese government saying the attackers could have tracked a surveillance drone to the team's location. Other sources directly blamed the Rwandan military.
Those allegations have not been independently confirmed. Representatives for Rwanda, the Congolese government, and the M23 rebel group did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Rwanda denies supporting M23.
Kennedy was reportedly evacuated to the United States, where he is receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Neither the medical center nor the U.S. State Department commented on his condition.
Kennedy retired from professional mixed martial arts in 2017 after competing in Strikeforce and the UFC. Before his fighting career, he served as a U.S. Army Green Beret, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
