Romanian mercenaries led by Horațiu Potra and stranded in Congo evacuate to Rwanda
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest confirmed that the evacuation of Romanian citizens present in Congo where they worked as security agents will take place on Wednesday.
While the Romanian mercenaries, hired by Horațiu Potra‘s military company to fight for Congo, entered Rwanda under the strict supervision of Rwandan security forces, the M23 rebels consolidated their control over the largest city in eastern Congo, Goma, on Wednesday.
Approximately 300 Romanians were allowed to leave the UN base in Goma and left for Kigali, Rwanda, from where they will take a plane to Romania, local media reports.
After the city fell to M23, the Romanians taken to Congo by Horațiu Potra isolated themselves in a UN base or other safe locations outside the city of Goma. Among the 290 Romanians who worked as security agents, there were four wounded, said Constantin Timofte, who leads them, exclusively for TVR. “The national army gave up fighting and we were forced to retreat,” Timofte explained.
UN sources and Rwandan officials said they were mercenaries from Congo. Several held Romanian passports. One of them told Reuters he was Romanian and had been in Goma for about two years.
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