Highlights: In the DRC, fighting resumed between the Congolese army and their allies against the M23 rebels this Friday around the town of Sake. Last week, two soldiers died during clashes. They worked for a Romanian “private military company”. President Tshisekedi clarified that they are coaches and not mercenaries, adding that they number around “ a thousand ” This week, 2 South African soldiers, belonging to a Sadc mission supporting the Congo army, died when a bomb fell in their military base.

In the DRC, fighting resumed between the Congolese army and their allies against the M23 rebels this Friday around the town of Sake, in the east of the country. Last week, two soldiers died...

The death of two Romanian mercenaries recalls the presence of private military companies in the DRC

In the DRC, fighting resumed between the Congolese army and their allies against the M23 rebels this Friday around the town of Sake, in the east of the country. Last week, two soldiers died during clashes. They worked for a Romanian “private military company”.

A Congolese soldier near Goma, November 1, 2013. REUTERS/Kenny Katombe

By: RFI Follow

In a press release, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the death of two of its citizens on February 7 in eastern

DRC

. Four other Romanian citizens were also injured.

According to the press, these men were part of a group of 20 Romanian soldiers who were attacked by M23

rebels

around 6 a.m. near the strategic city. Former soldiers and police officers, they are employed by a private military company headed by Horatiu Potra, a former member of the French Foreign Legion of Romanian origin.

Also read: “We are observing a massive influx of wounded”: in Goma, the humanitarian situation is critical

A thousand private soldiers

For more than a year, two private military companies have been operating alongside the Congolese army in the east of the country. Congo Protection, led by Mr. Potra, which currently has several hundred soldiers responsible for training and supporting the Congolese army. And Agemira, a company managed by the Frenchman Olivier Bazin, a former gendarme converted to the sale and maintenance of military equipment, he takes care of the maintenance of the Congolese army fleet.

Asked a few months ago about the presence of these private soldiers alongside the FARDC, President Tshisekedi clarified that they are coaches and not mercenaries, adding that they number around “

a thousand

” .

This week, two South African soldiers, belonging to a Sadc mission supporting the Congolese army,

died

when a bomb fell in their military base. “

A mortar bomb landed in one of the bases of the South African military contingent and caused casualties and injuries among the soldiers

The death of two Romanian mercenaries recalls the presence of private military companies in the DRC

The death of two Romanian mercenaries recalls the presence of private military companies in the DRC

A thousand private soldiers

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