Four more South African soldiers die in DRC
Four more soldiers died in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in combat against M23 rebels, the SA National Defence Force confirmed on Tuesday.
“Following an exchange of mortar bombs between the FARDC, Congolese Defence Force and the M23 rebel militia on Monday, January 27, near Goma Airport where the SANDF Base is collocated, three members of the SANDF were caught in the crossfire and were killed,” the defence department said.
“The M23 rebels launched several a mortar bombs in the direction of Goma Airport, which landed in the SANDF base, and this resulted in the SANDF losing three members,” it said.
“Furthermore, the SANDF is also saddened to announce that one of our members who was injured during the battle with M23 rebels over the past three days later succumbed to injuries.”
The department said that the rest of the injured members continued to receive medical attention at the Level 3 Hospital in Goma.
“The SANDF remains fully committed to its peacekeeping responsibilities under the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC),” the department said.
“Our troops continue to operate with resolve, courage, and discipline in pursuit of peace and stability in the region.”
Defence and Military Veterans Minister, Angie Motshekga, the Deputy Ministers of Defence and Military Veterans, Major-General (ret) Bantu Holomisa and Richard Hlophe, with the Acting Secretary for Defence, Dr Thobekile Gamede and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya send their heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and the entire defence family, they said in a statement.
This brings the death toll of South African soldiers killed in the Central African country to 13, after nine were killed last week.
AFP reported that on Tuesday, explosions could still be heard in some neighborhoods of Goma, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
*This is a developing story.
IOL