In a military medical evacuation, over 194 troops deployed under the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) were airlifted from Goma, DRC to Kigali, Rwanda after sustaining injuries in ongoing operations.
The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Military Police facilitated their transfer to Kigali International Airport where they boarded aircraft bound for their respective home countries. The evacuated soldiers include 129 from the Republic of South Africa Battalion, 40 from the Malawi Battalion, and 25 from the Tanzania Battalion, marking one of the largest medical evacuations of its kind in the region.
The soldiers many with severe combat injuries had endured weeks of relentless fighting against heavily armed groups such as M23 rebels and other militias with two of the evacuated troops being pregnant.
The United Nations (UN) had been coordinating efforts to repatriate both wounded and deceased soldiers with negotiations involving various stakeholders including the M23 rebels.
Fourteen South African soldiers and four Tanzanian and Malawian troops who lost their lives were recently flown home aboard a Tanzanian Y-8 transport aircraft.
The Rwanda-DRC tensions are further complicating peace efforts. With Kinshasa accusing Kigali of backing M23 rebels a claim Rwanda denies, the deployment of foreign troops under the SAMIDRC banner has increased regional suspicions rather than ensuring stability.
As military convoys moved through Rubavu escorted by RDF troops, the uneasy atmosphere shows the fragile diplomatic relations between Rwanda and the countries participating in SAMIDRC.
South Africa’s Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga, acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that injured SANDF members would return home soon. Speaking at the funeral of Rifleman Richard Chokoe, one of the 14 killed in combat last month, she vowed that the families of fallen soldiers would not be abandoned.
“We will make sure that families of those who departed are looked after, especially the children. But also, those who are still in the mission, we will work with them and make sure that they get all the necessary support,” she assured.
While these 194 soldiers have been flown out of Goma, the conflict are still going on with increased numbers of death registered daily.
