Justin Conaglen a former officer in the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) has been neutralized in a high stakes combat in North Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Reports have emerged from new Zealand media that Conaglen had just retired from active service of his county’s Army.
He had been relieved of duty from the New Zealand Defence Force in August this year.
Conaglen’s involvement in the DRC war against the battle hardened AFC/M23 rebels highlights President Tshisekedi’s continued reliance on foreign deployed alongside the FDLR and Burundian army and wazalendo militia.
DRC government has pooled in several recruits via mercenary groups. For example Romanian mercenaries have been sited in combat alongside government troops.
DRC reportedly hired approximately 300 Romanian private military contractors—largely former French Foreign Legion veterans in late 2022 to train government forces and protect Goma against AFC/M23 rebels.
Contractors earned between U$3,000 and U$8,000 monthly, contrasting sharply with regular Congolese soldiers who often earned an unpaid or meager U$100 per month.
In late January 2025, about 300 Romanian mercenaries fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) surrendered or were captured by M23 rebels.
After capturing the mercenaries, the M23 rebels escorted them across the border into Rwanda, via the Grande Barrière border post.
Rwanda military later escorted the mercenaries to Kigali International Airport, from where they were flown back to Romania.
It hasn’t been established whether the New Zealander Justin Conaglen’s body has been recovered and repatriated.