DRC hands over Americans jailed over failed coup

Three American nationals who had been imprisoned for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo were released into U.S. custody on Tuesday, according to officials.

The Congolese presidency told Reuters that this transfer followed high-level discussions between both nations, focusing on security cooperation and mining agreements.

The Americans had their sentences commuted last week, allowing them to serve the remainder of their time in the United States, the presidency added.

The agreement to repatriate the trio was finalized during a visit to Kinshasa by Massad Boulos, senior Africa adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.

During his trip, Boulos held talks with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in the capital.

The release of the Americans coincides with escalating talks between Washington and Kinshasa.

According to the State Department, the U.S. is open to potential partnerships focused on critical minerals—a stance communicated to Reuters last month—following Congo’s proposal of a minerals-for-security arrangement to the Trump administration.

Prior to the visit, President Tshisekedi had been urged by Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs to secure the Americans’ freedom.

"This reflects the deepening cooperation and strengthening ties between the two countries," said Tina Salama, spokesperson for President Tshisekedi.

While the White House declined to comment, the State Department emphasized via email that repatriating American citizens remains a high priority for the administration.

Joseph Szlavik-Soto, a lobbyist representing Kinshasa, also noted that the Congolese government had agreed to compensate for the damages caused by demonstrators who targeted the U.S. embassy and other diplomatic missions earlier in the year.

The State Department has declined to provide a comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Congo is urging the United States to take a more active role in stabilizing the war-torn nation, as intensified fighting in the east raises concerns about a broader regional conflict.

Tensions have surged since January, following rapid gains by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, who seized control of the two largest cities in eastern Congo.

The United States is seeking to expand its access to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s vast mineral resources, which are crucial for manufacturing smartphones and electric vehicles.

Currently, these resources are mainly controlled and extracted by Chinese companies.

While the Trump administration has not detailed how it might support security in the region, a former high-ranking defense official suggested that possible measures could include deploying troops or private contractors to help train Congolese security forces.

"I hope any approach taken will uphold human rights and help foster lasting peace in this critical area. However, given the complexity of the DRC’s situation, this will not be easy," the official remarked.

In a related development, 37 individuals, including American citizens, were sentenced to death by a Congolese military court in September.

The attempted coup in May of the previous year was allegedly orchestrated by Christian Malanga, a Congolese political figure living in the U.S. Among those arrested was his 22-year-old son.

Marcel Malanga, who had traveled to the DRC with a friend from high school, testified during the trial that his father had threatened to kill them if they refused to comply with his plans.

His mother later shared a message on Facebook stating that the family needed privacy and would not comment further at the time.