South Africa has successfully evacuated 127 soldiers from the conflict zone in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with four critically wounded troops among them, the South African military confirmed on Wednesday.
According to South African National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesperson Prince Tshabalala, an initial group of 21 soldiers was flown back on Tuesday, followed by 106 more on Wednesday. The troops were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission deployed in 2023 to support the DRC government against the advancing Rwanda-backed M23 armed group.
“We have admitted four patients in critical condition,” Tshabalala stated, adding that 17 others suffered moderate injuries. Some returning soldiers also required psychological and social support. The wounded had received treatment in DRC hospitals before being evacuated via Rwanda.
The evacuation comes amid mounting pressure for the complete withdrawal of South African forces following the deaths of 14 soldiers in late January. While most of the casualties were part of the SADC mission, at least two were members of a separate UN-mandated peacekeeping force.
South Africa, which reportedly deployed over 1,000 troops to the region, leads the SADC force, which also includes smaller contingents from Malawi and Tanzania.
Political parties across South Africa, including the center-right Democratic Alliance (DA) and the radical-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have called for an “immediate” withdrawal of all troops from the conflict zone.
The M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains, capturing key areas including the South Kivu provincial capital, Bukavu, and Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC.
According to DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, more than 7,000 people have been killed since January, though these figures remain unverified.
With the situation in eastern DRC worsening, South Africa faces increasing pressure to reconsider its military presence in the region.
