Erik Prince Deployed Forces to Uvira in Congo Amid Rebel Clash

By Al Mayadeen English

10 Feb 2026 23:18

Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, deployed forces and drones to help Congo’s army retake Uvira from M23 rebels near key critical mineral zones.

Erik Prince, the founder of the now-defunct private military company Blackwater and ally of US President Donald Trump, deployed contractors and drone units to assist the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military in securing the strategic city of Uvira, four individuals briefed on the operation told Reuters.

The AFC/M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, briefly took control of Uvira in December, dealing a blow to ongoing US and Qatar-led peace negotiations. The rebels withdrew following US threats of retaliation.

The Erik Prince Congo operation was contracted by the Kinshasa government not only for security purposes but also to improve tax collection from the country’s vast natural resources. However, this marked the first known instance of Prince’s personnel engaging directly on the frontlines of the decades-long conflict.

Sources told Reuters that Prince’s team was deployed at the request of Congolese authorities to reinforce elite units attempting to retake Uvira. Following the operation, the contractors reportedly returned to their primary assignment: assisting with mineral revenue oversight.

“They needed help recapturing Uvira and pulled in every resource they could. Focus is back on the tax police project now,” one source told Reuters. Another source indicated that future frontline deployments could occur if requested by Kinshasa.

Drones and foreign advisers back Congo’s offensive

Prince’s personnel reportedly provided drone support to Congolese special operations and army units in Uvira and the South Kivu highlands. These operations coincided with involvement from Israeli advisers, who, according to a fifth source, were focused solely on training Congolese special forces battalions for day and night operations.

"Their mandate (the Israelis) is training only," the source told Reuters.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry and embassy in Luanda, which oversees relations with Congo, did not respond to requests for comment.

US interests and mineral access

A Congolese security official suggested to Reuters that the presence of US-linked contractors like Prince’s team could act as a deterrent to M23 rebels, who may avoid confronting such forces directly. The US, for its part, has offered to support peace efforts in exchange for access to critical minerals in Congo.

While it remains unclear whether Washington formally endorsed the operation, the mission to secure Uvira followed US demands for rebel withdrawal. The US State Department has denied holding any contracts with Prince or his firms.

“The operation is in line with the minerals-for-security deal,” the Congolese official told the news agency.

Ongoing violence and historical roots

Fighting in eastern Congo escalated in early 2025, as M23 rebels advanced through areas rich in tantalum, gold, lithium, and other strategic resources. Western governments and the United Nations have accused Rwanda of backing the group, though Kigali denies involvement.

Although Rwanda and Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement in June last year, the AFC/M23 group was not part of the accord.

The conflict’s roots trace back to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, when Hutu militia fighters fled into Congo, pursued by Tutsi-led Rwandan forces. Kigali continues to deny deploying troops into Congolese territory.