South Africa has begun the phased withdrawal of its peacekeeping forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the second group of soldiers arriving home on June 15, at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria. The deployment, under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, was initiated in May 2023 to help stabilize eastern Congo. Following the SADC’s decision to terminate the mission in March, the final withdrawal phase commenced in April and includes the return of personnel and military equipment.
The backdrop to this disengagement is the deteriorating security situation in eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have seized key territories in North and South Kivu provinces, including the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.
The violence has claimed the lives of at least 20 peacekeepers, 14 of them South African. While mediation efforts led by Qatar’s emir are ongoing, fresh clashes continue to be reported in Rutshuru. Congo’s government continues to accuse Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels—a charge Rwanda denies. With over 7,000 fatalities recorded this year and more than 7.8 million people displaced, the humanitarian toll of the conflict remains grave.