Ex-UFC fighter among victims in Congo ambush of private US forces as 20 killed or injured

0Ex-UFC fighter Tim Kennedy was involved in a military ambush in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Image: Getty)A former UFC fighter was shot as 20 people were wounded or killed in an ambush on United States-based forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Vectus Global, a private military security company founded by ex-United States Navy SEAL Erik Prince, has been serving in international conflict zones, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), since late 2024.

Vectus Global is not an official arm of the U.S. military, rather an independent private security company that has grown under Prince, an ally and supporter of Donald Trump who gained fame as the founder of private military contractor Blackwater, which has since rebranded as Academi.

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More than 100 Vectus Global personnel are believed to be in the DRC on a multi-year deal worth up to $400 million with the Congolese government to help protect the nation's lucrative mining assets and support frontline efforts against Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

On September 17, 2026, an ambush on Vectus Global personnel in the South Kivu province in the eastern DRC left Tim Kennedy, a 47-year-old former U.S. Army Green Beret and professional mixed martial artist who competed in the UFC, severely wounded.

Kennedy, who last fought in UFC in December 2016, received three gunshot wounds to his leg and was evacuated back to the United States, where he is being treated at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Among those killed in the ambush were New Zealand Special Air Services veteran Justin Conaglen, another unnamed Vectus Global contractor, and a reported seven Congolese nationals.

After details of the ambush emerged this week, Vectus Global remains present in the DRC as it continues its efforts to protect the nation's rich mineral resources, an industry in which revenues have historically been stolen and used to fuel conflicts.

Kennedy was a mixed martial arts professional between 2001 and 2016 and participated in various organizations, including the UFC, Strikeforce, and World Extreme Cagefighting.

In 2004, just three years into his MMA career, Kennedy joined the U.S. Army. He later was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group in 2007 after completing Ranger School.

In 2009, Kennedy transitioned from active duty to the Texas Army National Guard before re-enlisting into the U.S. Army Special Forces in 2017.

In addition to his military service and fight career, Kennedy has carved out a name for himself in television, and has appeared as an analyst, guest, and commentator across FOX News and FOX Business programs on which he primarily discusses the military and global conflict.

Kennedy finished his MMA career with a win-loss record of 18-6, including a 3-2 record in official UFC bouts.