Forces linked to Blackwater founder Erik Prince were reportedly ambushed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving multiple people dead or wounded, including former UFC fighter and Green Beret Tim Kennedy.

Prince's company, Vectus Global, has reportedly been operating in the Central African country, where fighting involving the M23 rebel group and Congolese government forces has fueled ongoing instability.

The Congolese government said an attack on September 17 left 20 people dead or wounded. Reuters reported that Rwandan forces backing the M23 rebels may have carried out a surprise assault after tracking a surveillance drone to the group's location.

At least seven Congolese nationals were reportedly killed in the attack, along with a former member of New Zealand's Special Forces. Kennedy and another foreign contractor were also reportedly wounded.

Kennedy, a former UFC middleweight fighter who served in the U.S. Army Special Forces, reportedly suffered three gunshot wounds to his leg. He was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, where he is receiving treatment.

The reported ambush highlights the risks facing foreign security personnel operating in eastern Congo, a region plagued by armed conflict and competing territorial interests. The M23 rebellion has been a major source of violence, with accusations of Rwandan support for the group contributing to tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali.