- South African forces left Cabo Delgado in July this year to focus efforts in the Congo
- The incident could further deteriorate relations between South Africa and Rwanda, due to the latter’s support for the rebels
BY MOZTIMES
Pretoria (MOZTIMES) – Forces from the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), deployed to combat M23 rebels in the eastern region of the DRC, have just suffered one of their worst losses to date. Following two days of intense fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels, nine South African soldiers were killed, and many others were injured, although the exact number has not been disclosed, according to a statement from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
The two-day battle aimed to halt the advance of M23 rebels towards Goma, the provincial capital of eastern DRC.
Early this week, the rebels had announced their intention to take control of Goma, warning SADC and United Nations forces to abstain from engaging in combat.
“The M23 hostile forces had launched a full-scale attack on our troops with the intention of taking over Goma but were unable to advance due to the heroic resistance put up by our gallant fighters,” the SANDF statement said. “Our forces were not only able to halt the M23 advancement but were able to push them back. The intention of the M23, amongst others, is also to take over the city of Goma, but it met with heavy resistance from the SANDF contingent, which managed to prevent them from proceeding into Goma,” it added.
The resistance by South African troops came at a high cost, with nine soldiers losing their lives – a significant blow to the special forces.
Of the nine soldiers killed, seven were part of the South African contingent deployed to eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), while two were members of MONUSCO (United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo). Both missions include troops from several other countries, although it is unclear how many foreign soldiers may have been killed or injured.
“The number of injured is still to be confirmed, however a few suffered various degrees of injuries,” the SANDF statement added.
Experts believe there is a strong connection between the rebels fighting state and international forces in the DRC and the insurgents operating in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Rwanda’s support for the rebels in the DRC has strained its relationship with South Africa, and the deaths of nine South African soldiers could further worsen those tensions.Mozambique does not contribute troops to the SADC mission in the DRC but, as a SADC member, approved the mission. Malawi and Tanzania are the regional countries participating in the mission, alongside South Africa, which holds the role of Force Command, in coordination with local DRC troops. (MT)
