Three Americans who had been sentenced to demise over a failed coup try within the Democratic Republic of Congo have been despatched again to the USA on Tuesday, in accordance to a spokeswoman for the Congolese presidency.
The American males have been amongst 37 individuals sentenced to demise seven months in the past for collaborating in a Might 2024 assault on Congo’s authorities that included a gunfight close to the presidential palace. Congo’s presidency stated final week that the three Americans — Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson and Benjamin Zalman-Polun — have been granted particular person clemency and had their demise sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
The Congolese presidency’s spokeswoman, Tina Salama, posted pictures of them boarding a aircraft on Tuesday. She stated that the aircraft was sure for the USA, the place the three males would serve their sentences.
Tammy Bruce, a State Division spokeswoman, confirmed on Tuesday that the three males had been transferred, telling a information convention that “they’re in our custody.” However there was no remark from the Justice Division as of Wednesday about the place, how, or if the lads would serve their sentences in the USA.
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The repatriation of the three males got here days after an American delegation met with Congo’s president, Felix Tshisekedi, in his nation’s capital, Kinshasa.
Mr. Tshisekedi has provided the USA a stake in his nation’s huge mineral wealth as his authorities battles an armed rebel that has captured massive parts of territory in japanese Congo.
Depleted Congolese forces have to date been unable to mount an efficient counteroffensive towards the armed group, M23, which is backed by Rwanda.
Massad Boulos, President Trump’s senior adviser for Africa, stated final week throughout his journey to Congo that the USA and Congo would work on an settlement about minerals, with out providing additional particulars.
Congo holds massive reserves of supplies and minerals — together with cobalt, tin, tantalum and lithium — that the USA has deemed crucial for transitioning towards renewable vitality. In Congo, China dominates that sector.
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Mr. Trump’s particular envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, had linked the battle in japanese Congo to the destiny of the three American males.
“The President of Congo is holding 3 Americans now,” Mr. Boehler wrote on X in February. “Maybe it will be higher if Rwanda gained the battle?”
The Congolese authorities stated that they had foiled a coup try final Might after a gunfight erupted close to the presidential palace and armed males briefly occupied an workplace of the presidency. Safety forces killed the coup chief, Christian Malanga, a Congolese politician who ran a minor opposition get together and had streamed the assault dwell.
Mr. Malanga’s American son, Marcel Malanga, has denied involvement in planning the coup. He stated that he and Mr. Thompson, a highschool buddy, have been pressured to take part whereas visiting his father. The third American citizen, Mr. Zalman-Polun, was a enterprise affiliate of Christian Malanga’s.
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