Ian Wafula, the Africa security correspondent for BBC News, reported that nearly 300 Romanian mercenaries recruited to fight on the side of the army in the Democratic Republic of Congo faced a humiliating week after surrendering following a rebel assault on the city of Goma. These hired soldiers were promised around $5,000 a month, while regular military recruits received only about $100, or sometimes went unpaid. The mercenaries were contracted to assist the army in fighting the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who claimed to be fighting for the rights of DR Congo’s minority ethnic Tutsis. The surrender of the Romanians to the rebels led to negotiations that resulted in their transfer to Rwanda. Reports indicate that the mercenaries, many of whom were former members of the French Foreign Legion, were involved in various security operations and military training missions in the region. Despite promises of high salaries and opportunities for training, some of the mercenaries expressed dissatisfaction with the disorganization and poor working conditions they experienced on the ground in North Kivu province. The situation highlighted the dangers and challenges faced by private military contractors operating in conflict zones like DR Congo.
