BLOEMFONTEIN- All South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops deployed to the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) have returned home, with the final 233 soldiers landing at Bram Fischer International Airport in Free State on Wednesday. This marks the end of their peacekeeping mission in eastern DRC, following a ceasefire between the M23 rebel group and the DRC military.
The SAMIDRC mission, launched in December 2023, aimed to address escalating violence in North Kivu, involving South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania. Its objectives included neutralizing armed groups like M23, protecting civilians, supporting the Congolese army (FARDC), and facilitating humanitarian aid under the August 2024 Luanda Process ceasefire. Authorized for 5,000 troops, only about 1,300 were deployed, with South Africa contributing up to 2,900 under Operation Thiba at a cost of R2.37 billion. The mission faced significant challenges, being outgunned and under-resourced, leading to its termination on March 13, 2025, after failing to stop M23’s advances, including the capture of Goma and Bukavu.
The M23 rebel group, formed in 2012 and named after the March 23, 2009, peace agreement, is a Rwandan-backed militia primarily composed of ethnic Tutsis. It accuses the DRC government of failing to integrate Tutsi fighters and protect minorities. Since its 2021 resurgence, M23 has seized significant territory in North and South Kivu, including Goma in January 2025, with support from 3,000–4,000 Rwandan troops. Implicated in mass killings, rape, and attacks on displaced persons’ camps, M23 has worsened a humanitarian crisis with over 6 million displaced, violating the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes. A February 4, 2025, ceasefire briefly paused fighting, but conflict resumed in South Kivu.
The SAMIDRC mission struggled against M23’s advanced weaponry, with 14 SANDF soldiers killed and 174 injured. A March 28, 2025, agreement facilitated the safe withdrawal of SAMIDRC troops from Goma. The return of the final troops is a moment of celebration for their courage and sacrifice, as highlighted by the SANDF. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized the need for diplomatic solutions to address the conflict’s complexities, including Rwanda’s role and ethnic tensions.
