Mercenaries suffer losses in DR Congo

A battlefield clash highlights the role of US private security contractor Erik Prince as his country seeks greater access to minerals. The forces of US private security contractor Erik Prince suffered major battlefield losses in DR Congo last month, a new report found, calling into question his controversial firm’s actions in the country. Prince, employees of whose previous company Blackwater carried out a civilian massacre in Iraq in 2007, has focused on expanding his presence in the central African nation — where the army is fighting Rwanda-backed M23 rebels — to curry favor with US President Donald Trump. DR Congo has sought to speed up the implementation of a strategic mining partnership with Washington, which is looking to rival China’s access to critical minerals in Africa. However, insecurity remains a major challenge in the country. Prince’s forces have been deployed to secure mineral-rich areas and curb smuggling to provide investor-friendly access to conflict-hit areas. DR Congo, the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component in electronics, has already received US investment under the agreement and is looking to attract more Western funds.