SADC peacekeeping troops begin final phase of withdrawal from east DRC

The Southern African Development Community(SADC) said Thursday it will begin the final phase of withdrawing its troops from the conflict-hit eastern Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).

"Commencing today, 12 June 2025, the second phase entails the repatriation of mission personnel along with their personal belongings, and the remaining operational equipment," the bloc's statement read.

The first withdrawal saw hundreds of troops leave the DRC through Rwanda and Tanzania, where they flew to their respective countries in the southern region.

Despite the withdrawal, the bloc reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace, security, and political stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the broader SADC region.

" While the SAMIDRC mission is drawing to a close, SADC will continue to engage through diplomatic, political, and strategic mechanisms in collaboration with the DRC Government and regional partners," the statement read.

The SADC peacekeeping mandate ended in March this year, and began withdrawing its troops and equipment the following months, despite the ongoing conflict and threats posed by the M23 rebels in the volatile east.

The first phase began on 29 April 2025 and focused on the equipment and other logistical assets.

The SADC military mission suffered heavy losses in the previous months, with dozens of soldiers from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania killed as the M23 rebels seized control of Goma.

In 2023, the SADC sent several thousand peacekeeping troops from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania to eastern Congo to help the Congolese government pacify a mineral-rich region plagued by various insurgencies.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.