All South African troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as part of a regional peacekeeping mission are expected to return home by the end of the month, following a deadly and increasingly volatile operation.
The soldiers were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, tasked with restoring peace and stability in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC. However, their deployment was marred by fierce fighting with the M23 rebel group, which has since seized control of key territories, including the strategic Goma International Airport.
During the offensive, 14 South African soldiers lost their lives, and many others were wounded in what has become one of the most dangerous missions undertaken by the country's military in recent years.
With Goma Airport now under M23 control and effectively shut down, troops will need to make their way out of the region by road. Their journey home will take them through Tanzania—but not before passing through Rwanda, a country widely accused of backing the M23 rebels, a claim Kigali continues to deny.
The withdrawal marks a sobering conclusion to South Africa’s efforts under the SADC banner to bring stability to a region still deeply fractured by rebel activity and regional rivalries.