An ambush in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on September 17 killed Justin Conaglen, according to the NZ Herald. Conaglen was traveling alongside other foreign contractors when the team was attacked.
The incident also injured former Green Beret and UFC fighter Tim Kennedy, who survived three gunshot wounds to the leg. According to the New York Times and reporting relayed by veteran conflict journalist Robert Young Pelton, the foreign contractors were accompanying Congolese soldiers in a region where state troops have been fighting Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The Ambush and the Contracting Mission in South Kivu
Before officially separating from the military in August, Conaglen had taken unpaid leave from the NZDF beginning in March. He was killed the following month during the September 17 ambush in South Kivu. Two sources told Reuters that the Rwandan military was behind the attack, while a Congolese Government source suggested Rwandan forces may have tracked a surveillance drone back to the team’s position. A separate source with direct knowledge of the operation noted that the sophistication of the ambush pointed toward Rwandan involvement. Reuters reported that Rwanda had not responded to requests for comment.
The team from Vectus Global was traveling between locations. The Congolese Finance Ministry had hired Vectus Global, an entity associated with Prince, to boost mining income by addressing mineral smuggling, corruption, and tax fraud. However, UN investigators later discovered that the agreement included a secret military component, which involved strategic advice to Congolese forces, aircraft and the recruitment of former foreign military personnel.
The NZ Herald reported that the dead included at least seven Congolese individuals, with a Congolese security source indicating villagers were likely among the casualties. The precise breakdown of civilian versus combatant casualties remains unclear.
Evacuation Under Fire and Toll on Foreign Contractors
Tim Kennedy, 47, survived the attack despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Former Green Beret and Delta Force operator Brent Tucker stated on his Tier1 Podcast that Kennedy was part of a three-man team that included the slain New Zealander and a third contractor who was also hit multiple times.
A person close to Prince described the event as a “long ordeal” exacerbated by a lack of support from Congolese forces. Following the ambush, Prince’s officials sought aircraft for casualty evacuation. Kennedy was moved through Burundi to Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg before returning to the United States, according to the New York Times. A separate battle earlier in September left seven Colombian mercenaries employed by Prince dead, according to the same outlet.
The US State Department declined to comment on Kennedy due to privacy considerations, with a spokesman emphasizing that the administration places the highest priority on the safety and security of Americans. The spokesman added that there was “no military solution to the conflict in eastern DRC” and highlighted the Washington Accords, brokered by President Donald Trump, as the framework for lasting regional peace.
Repatriation and Final Farewells in New Zealand
Conaglen’s body was returned to New Zealand, and his family in Northland received ongoing support from his former NZSAS colleagues. The New York Times reported that Conaglen was cremated on October 1. A service was held in Northland, where family members were joined by soldiers from the elite unit to honor the veteran operator.
