Romanian Mercenaries Surrender in DR Congo Amid M23 Offensive

Nearly 300 Romanian mercenaries fighting alongside the Congolese army have surrendered after an M23 rebel assault on Goma, dealing a major blow to DR Congo’s defense strategy.

Recruited for lucrative salaries of up to $5,000 per month—far higher than the $100 earned by local soldiers—the mercenaries were forced to take refuge at a UN base before being handed over to Rwanda. M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, accused them of being “adventurers” in a conflict deeply rooted in regional tensions.

The episode exposes DR Congo’s fragmented military structure, where reliance on foreign contractors, regional forces, and local militias has undermined battlefield coordination, raising concerns over its defense strategy