Tfw the monster you created turns on you.

Former New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) operator Justin Conaglen was killed in Africa only weeks after leaving the New Zealand Defence Force. The NZDF confirmed he went on leave without pay in March 2026 and formally released in August. He was reported to have moved into private security, and later accounts claim he was killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically in North Kivu. Unconfirmed reports circulating this week also tie him to former UFC fighter and US Army Green Beret Tim Kennedy, alleging Conaglen was killed in the same Congo ambush in which Kennedy was reportedly shot multiple times. New Zealand authorities are still seeking the circumstances of his death. Before leaving the military he had taken an unusual path into the NZSAS from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and built a reputation as an endurance athlete. He finished the Taupo 100km ultramarathon in 13 hours 46 minutes in 2020 and also climbing Nepal’s Tukuche Peak in 2023 as a solo expedition member. His death comes amid heavy attrition in the NZSAS as experienced operators are drawn into high-risk private security work. Rest easy, Justin.