Four South African Soldiers Killed in Clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Four South African soldiers were killed in battles against the armed group “M23” in eastern the Democratic Republic of Congo, the military reported on Tuesday, following the death of nine of its forces last week. The South African National Defence Force stated in a statement that three soldiers were killed in clashes near Goma airport on Monday, while a fourth died from wounds sustained in previous skirmishes.
Meanwhile, rebels from the “March 23 Movement,” supported by Rwanda, faced resistance from the army and armed factions allied with the government last night after entering Goma, the largest city in eastern the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the largest escalation of the ongoing conflict that has lasted for more than 10 years. Residents in several neighborhoods reported hearing the sound of small arms fire and some loud explosions on Tuesday morning, particularly near the airport, which sources said remains under the control of UN peacekeepers and government forces. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa discussed the recent escalation with his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, after the killing of nine South African peacekeepers in Congo days ago, and both agreed on the need for a ceasefire.
The “March 23 Movement” ignored calls from global leaders to halt their attack. Rwanda, which had previously denied the presence of its military forces in Congo, rejected calls for its troops to withdraw, stating that “the security of its country is threatened.”
South Africa, which contributes forces to the UN mission and others, has borne the brunt of the casualties among peacekeepers.
In a later development, the UN announced on Tuesday that food aid had “stopped” in the surrounding areas of the besieged city of Goma in eastern the Democratic Republic of Congo, expressing concern over food shortages.
Shelley Thakral, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo, told reporters: “Food aid has temporarily stopped in Goma and its surroundings. The World Food Programme is concerned about the food scarcity there.”
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in a post on “X” on Monday that Rwandan President Paul Kagame had agreed on the necessity of negotiations for a ceasefire and peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ramaphosa stated: “The two presidents agreed on the urgent need for a ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks between all parties involved in the conflict.”
After several days of intense fighting in eastern Congo, the “M23” rebel militia entered the strategically important city of Goma early on Monday. By Tuesday morning, it was unclear who controlled the city.
The Congolese military announced on Monday evening that it had regained control of certain areas in the city. However, the government in Kinshasa and UN experts have accused Rwanda of supporting the “M23” militia, and Kenyan President William Ruto, currently leading the East African Community, plans to hold an urgent summit on the situation in eastern Congo. The date for the summit has not yet been announced.
