(MENAFN) Three Americans convicted of attempting to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) were flown back to the US to serve their sentences, the DR Congo presidency announced on Tuesday. The individuals—Marcel Malanga Malu, Tylor Thomson, and Zalman-Polun Benjamin—were part of a group of around 50 people, including foreign nationals from Belgium, the UK, and Canada, who faced charges such as conspiracy, terrorism, and murder following a failed coup in May.

In September, the three were sentenced to death by a military court. However, last week, President Felix Tshisekedi commuted their sentences to life imprisonment. They were then transferred to the US to serve their remaining sentences, a decision made in the interest of strengthening judicial diplomacy and cooperation between DR Congo and the US.

The repatriation was facilitated with the involvement of the US Embassy in DR Congo, and State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the transfer. The arrangement was finalized during a visit to DR Congo by Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s senior advisor for Africa, who met with President Tshisekedi.

The move comes amid ongoing discussions between the US and DR Congo over potential mining partnerships, as the Congolese government has reportedly proposed a minerals-for-security deal to the Trump administration. DR Congo is a major global supplier of cobalt, copper, and coltan, resources at the heart of regional conflicts.

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