Three South African soldiers killed in DR Congo clashes

Three South African soldiers were killed and at least 14 others were injured during fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Thursday, the South African National Defence Union (SANDU) confirmed in a statement on Saturday.

Congolese forces successfully repelled a night-time assault attempt by rebels in the eastern region of the country, according to two sources from the Congolese army.

An army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the rebels targeted the defences with heavy weapons, prompting a response from the military.

“We stopped their advance. We are keeping them away from Goma,” the officer added.

The Congolese government and military have not commented publicly on the situation.

The recent escalation has led the United Nations to warn of the risk of a broader regional war. Both the Congo, the UN, and other countries have accused neighbouring Rwanda of fuelling the conflict by sending in its own troops and weapons. Rwanda has denied these allegations.

On Friday, the military announced the death of the governor of North Kivu, who was killed at the frontlines.