South Africa, Tanzania to fight against M23 rebels in DR Congo
In this file photo, M23 soldiers leave Rumangabo camp after the meeting between EACRF officials and M23 rebels during the handover ceremony at Rumangabo camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on January 6, 2023. PHOTO/FILE/AFP
What you need to know:
- The SADC mission in DR COngo, also known as SAMIDRC, will be headed by South African Maj Gen Monwabisi Dyakopu.
- The deployment of the SAMIDRC was approved by the SADC heads of state in 2023.
Joint South African, Malawian and Tanzanian troops are to lead a special Southern African Development Community (SAMIDRC) mission against militants in restive DR Congo, a regional body has said.
A statement issued by Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Thursday suggested they would work with the Congolese forces to fight armed groups, including M23 insurgents, in Eastern DR Congo.
“The deployment of the SAMIDRC is in accordance with the principle of collective self-defense and collective action outlined in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact (2003). The Pact emphasizes that any armed attack perpetrated against one of the state parties shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and shall be met with immediate collective action,” the SADC statement reads.
The SADC mission in DR COngo, also known as SAMIDRC, will be headed by South African Maj Gen Monwabisi Dyakopu.
The deployment of the SAMIDRC was approved by the SADC heads of state on 08 May 2023.
However, this time Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Angola haven’t contributed troops as in previous wars that emanated from Eastern DRC.
The DRC government and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, an allegation Kigali denies.
Although the troops were deployed on December 14, 2023, they were yet to start fighting due to a United States of America brokered ceasefire between the Congolese forces and M23 rebels.
The three Southern African countries have been contributing troops under the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) that has been fighting armed groups in the Eastern DRC.
But MONUSCO has started winding up its operation in the troubled country.
Meantime, deployment of SADC troops could derail the Nairobi Process and Luanda negotiations to stop the fighting between the Congolese troops and rebels.
The Nairobi Process, which included East African Community members, attempted to bring the fighting in eastern DR Congo to an end by deploying regional forces and also ending hostilities between Rwanda and DRC last year.
But the East Africa Community Regional Forces (EACRF) withdrew their soldiers from DR Congo last month after Kinshasha declined to extend their mandate.
The M23 rebels threatened to fight back against the SADC troops if they were attacked.
In 2013, the SADC backed Congolese forces defeated the M23 rebels, who had captured Goma City.
