Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that a group of wounded South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers had been repatriated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). More soldiers are expected to return home in the coming days.
The South African soldiers were deployed in eastern DRC as part of a peacekeeping mission under the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Around 200 soldiers from the mission crossed into Rwanda before heading to Kigali airport on Monday, leaving behind Goma, a city currently under the control of the M23 rebels, according to a French broadcaster.
The M23 group has demanded the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the region, as reported. While South African, Malawian and Tanzanian soldiers are stationed at bases near Goma, negotiations are underway to repatriate them.
M23, one of several armed groups in eastern DRC, resurfaced in 2021 and recently seized Bukavu after capturing Goma in January. The conflict has claimed more than 7,000 lives this year, according to Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.
The rebel group is reportedly advancing toward Uvira, less than 30 kilometers from Burundi’s economic hub, Bujumbura. Kinshasa, meanwhile, continues to accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels and deploying troops in eastern DRC; Kigali has repeatedly denied these allegations.