KIGALI MORTAR ATTACK CLAIMS LIVES OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN SOLDIERS
In a tragic incident in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a mortar attack has resulted in the death of three soldiers from a southern African military force.
All three casualties were from Tanzania, with three others sustaining injuries from the attack.
Described as “hostile,” the missile fire struck near the soldiers’ camp, as confirmed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Monday.
However, details regarding the specific location and timing of the attack remain undisclosed, as well as the identity of the perpetrators responsible for targeting the SADC soldiers.
Deployed at the invitation of the Congolese government to address escalating insecurity fueled by various rebel factions competing for control over the region’s mineral-rich territories, the Southern African regional force has been actively engaged in combating groups like the M23 rebels.
The resurgence of the M23 rebels in 2021, gaining control over significant portions of North Kivu province, has led to a wave of violence prompting thousands of displaced individuals seeking refuge in Goma, the provincial capital.
As tensions escalate, concerns mount over the potential vulnerability of Goma to M23 capture, reminiscent of the group’s seizure of the city in 2012.
With the DR Congo government’s decision to mandate the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission by the end of 2024, SADC soldiers, totaling 2,900, were dispatched to North Kivu province to confront the M23 rebels.
Tragically, a South African soldier also succumbed to health complications while undergoing treatment, adding to the toll of casualties from the ongoing conflict.
Previously in February, two South African soldiers fell victim to a mortar attack in North Kivu province, underscoring the persistent dangers faced by military personnel in the volatile region. — BBC
