Active-duty Romanian soldiers worked as mercenaries in DR Congo, probe reveals
All seven active-duty personnel, including two non-commissioned officers and five professional soldiers, took parental leave between 2023 and 2025. During this period, they engaged in security operations for Romanian private military companies operating in the DRC.
An official Romanian inquiry has revealed that seven active-duty soldiers were employed as mercenaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while on parental leave, in what is now being described as a major breach of military conduct.
The investigation, launched by the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) in February, also identified 466 reservists who served in the conflict-ridden Central African nation under private contracts.
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The findings follow allegations tied to Romanian mercenary Horațiu Potra, who is under investigation for allegedly plotting to destabilise Romania in favour of far-right politician Călin Georgescu, according to The Romanian Journal.
All seven active-duty personnel, including two non-commissioned officers and five professional soldiers, took parental leave between 2023 and 2025. During this period, they engaged in security operations for Romanian private military companies operating in the DRC. Three soldiers remain on leave, while four have returned to their respective units.
“For one of these seven soldiers, the investigations have already been completed, and the Military Prosecutor’s Office was notified. Similar measures will be applied in the other six cases,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The ministry confirmed that disciplinary and administrative proceedings are also underway.
Romanian reservists
The report further uncovered that hundreds of Romanian reservists were involved in similar activities. Many had been released from duty due to age restrictions, medical conditions, or voluntary resignation. Contract lengths varied, but their roles placed them alongside Congolese government troops, Burundian forces, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and various militias.
Notably, Romanian mercenaries reportedly fought beside groups, including the FDLR, an armed militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and local Congolese militias known collectively as the Wazalendo.
Between 2023 and 2024, 24 former soldiers who had served in Congo under private security companies were reabsorbed into Romania’s military structure and reassigned to different units.
Minister of Defence Angel Tîlvăr expressed concern over the revelations and pledged immediate reforms.
“I have ordered an urgent review of the circumstances and responsibilities that allowed these situations to occur, as well as the implementation of stricter preventive measures in the future,” he said.
The involvement of Romanian nationals in the DRC conflict has raised alarm across Europe. The Romanian mercenaries, some linked to the Romanian private military outfit Asociatia RALF, were reportedly contracted by the Congolese government to support its campaign against rebel groups, including the M23.
In early 2025, approximately 280 Romanian mercenaries surrendered in Goma, a key city in eastern DRC, after a successful M23 offensive.
The DRC has suffered from decades of violent conflict, driven by political rivalries, ethnic tensions, and competition over lucrative natural resources, including gold and coltan—critical components in global electronics manufacturing.
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