The South African Nationwide Defence Pressure (SANDF) has confirmed that 9 troopers had been killed by the M23 rebels within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The RSA contingent varieties an integral a part of the SADC Mission within the DRC (SAMIDRC) which goals to bolster the efforts of the Congolese authorities to revive peace, safety, and stability to the area.
SANDF MEMBERS KILLED IN DRC
On Saturday, SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini stated after two days of fierce preventing with the M23 insurgent group in japanese DRC, South African troopers and their counterparts had been capable of halt the development of the insurgent group in the direction of Goma, the provincial capital of the japanese DRC.
Dlamini stated the M23 group had launched a full-scale assault on SANDF troopers to take over Goma however couldn’t advance because of the heroic resistance the defence power members put up.
“Our members weren’t solely capable of halt the M23 development however had been capable of push them again. The intention of the M23, amongst others, can be to take over town of Goma, however it met with heavy resistance from the SANDF contingent, which managed to stop them from continuing into Goma,” he stated.
Sadly, in the middle of this conflict, 9 SANDF members had been confirmed useless by Friday, 24 January.
“Seven of those members had been a part of the South African deployment in japanese DRC in December 2023 as a part of the 16-member regional bloc SADC Mission within the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC). Two members had been from the MONUSCO.
“The variety of injured members continues to be to be confirmed. Nevertheless, a couple of suffered numerous levels of accidents. The method of informing households of the deceased members is underway,” Dlamini stated.
The Minister of Defence and Navy Veterans, Angie Motshekga, is presently within the DRC assessing the operational situations and welfare of members deployed within the area and has despatched condolences to the households of the deceased.
PREVIOUS CASUALTIES
This was not the primary time SANDF members deployed within the DRC have misplaced their lives.
In June 2024, Sergeant Mbulelo Ngubane who was an operational medical practitioner within the SA Navy Well being Service was killed when an ambulance by which he was tending to injured members was attacked.
Earlier than that, on Valentine’s Day in 2024, a bomb landed inside SANDF army base killing two troopers and injuring three others. The 2 deceased troopers had been recognized as Captain Simon Mkhulu Bobe and Lance Corporal Irven Thabang Semono.
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