Three U.S. citizens who were imprisoned following a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo are now in the custody of the United States after their sentences were commuted last week, according to four U.S. diplomats and the Congolese presidency, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday.
The arrangement to transfer the Americans was finalized during a visit by Massad Boulos, a senior adviser on Africa to U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with President Felix Tshisekedi in the capital city of Kinshasa.
This development occurs amid ongoing discussions between Washington and Kinshasa regarding security and mining issues. Prior to the visit, Trump’s special envoy for hostage response urged Tshisekedi to release the detained Americans.
Congo’s mineral resources, essential for mobile phones and electric vehicles, are primarily controlled by China and its mining enterprises.
A U.S. source involved in the negotiations indicated that the three Americans would face legal charges in the United States related to their involvement in the coup attempt.
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The State Department stated last month that the United States is interested in exploring partnerships concerning critical minerals with Congo, following a proposal from a Congolese senator to U.S. officials regarding a minerals-for-security agreement.
