At least 13 foreign soldiers, including nine South Africans, have been killed in the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where Congolese, UN, and Southern African troops have been battling the M23 rebel group. The M23 has been campaigning to seize control of the North Kivu capital, Goma.
Three Malawians and one Uruguayan soldier have also been killed, and eighteen soldiers have been wounded in clashes between Friday and Saturday.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) reported that “in the course of this gallant resistance against M23 rebels, the SANDF lost nine members by Friday, January 24, 2025, after two days of fierce fighting.”
“Seven of these members were part of the South African contingent deployed in eastern DRC in December 2023 as part of the 16-member Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC), and two members were from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
The number of wounded has yet to be confirmed, but some are suffering from more or less serious injuries. The troops fought bravely to prevent the rebels from reaching Goma, as they had intended, and were repulsed by the South African contingent,” the SANDF said in a communiqué.
South Africa deployed 2,900 soldiers at the end of 2023 as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force. This mission also comprises troops from Malawi and Tanzania. The SAMIDRC replaced the East African Community Regional Force.
MONUSCO, which has been in the country since 1999, has extended its mandate to support the Congolese army against the growing threat of M23, which the UN says is supported by Rwanda. Kigali continues to deny this allegation.
There has been intensified fighting around Goma, North Kivu’s largest city, with increasing casualties and a wave of displaced civilians. On Friday, the Congolese army announced the death of the governor of North Kivu, Major-General Peter Cirimwami, who was killed while overseeing frontline operations a few kilometers outside Goma.
In the wake of the deteriorating security situation around Goma, MONUSCO has announced it is temporarily relocating its non-essential personnel from the city, such as administrative staff and others who can continue to perform their duties from another location.
