the reputation of Moïse Tshombe as it saw the return of white mercenaries to the Congo soon after independence and was a factor in Tshombe's loss of support from president of Congo Joseph Kasa-Vubu who dismissed him from his position At the same time Bob Denard commanded the French-speaking "6 Commando", "Black Jack" Schramme commanded "10 Commando" and William "Rip" Robertson commanded a company of anti-Castro Cuban exiles. Later, in 1966 and 1967, some former Tshombe mercenaries and Katangese gendarmes staged the Mercenaries' Mutinies. 1990s In November—December 1996, with the direct participation of the French special services, the White Legion unit was formed. It was headed by Belgian Christian Tavernier. The formation joined the army of the Mobutu Sese Seko regime. 21st century Since 2000, hired pilots from the former USSR have piloted congolese Su-25s. Two planes with Ukrainian Mokratov (June 2007) and Belarusian Likhotkin (December 2006) were lost. In January 2017, tutsi rebels shot down two Mi-24 helicopters with georgian and belarusian crews. References Literature Коновалов, Иван Петрович. Солдаты удачи и воины корпораций : История современного наёмничества. — Пушкино : Центр стратегической конъюнктуры, 2015. — 216 с. — ББК 68:8 К64. — УДК 623(G). — ISBN 978-5-9906069-7-5. Mercenaries Congo Crisis First Congo War Second Congo War Kivu conflict