A third contingent of South African peacekeepers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a regional stabilization mission returned home Monday, landing at Bram Fischer International Airport in Bloemfontein.
The arrival of nearly 220 troops marks the ongoing drawdown of South Africa’s involvement in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in eastern DRC. The latest return follows the arrival of 249 soldiers on Friday (13 June) and 257 on Sunday (15 June), with a fourth group expected on Tuesday.
The 16-member SADC bloc launched the mission in May 2023 to help stabilize the eastern DRC, a region ravaged by decades of armed conflict. However, the bloc terminated the mission’s mandate in March 2025 and began a phased withdrawal of troops and equipment in April.
The decision comes amid deteriorating security conditions in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel group has seized large swathes of territory since December 2024, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu in North and South Kivu provinces. Fighting has escalated despite ongoing mediation efforts led by the emir of Qatar.
According to South African defence officials, 14 South African soldiers were among 20 peacekeepers killed in clashes with M23 rebels since the beginning of the deployment. The Congolese government blames neighbouring Rwanda for backing the rebels, a claim Rwanda continues to deny.
The humanitarian toll is mounting. According to DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, more than 7,000 people have been killed this year due to the violence. The United Nations estimates that more than 7.8 million people have been displaced across the country as a result of the protracted conflict.
With the SADC mission winding down and the security situation still volatile, attention is now turning to regional and international diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration and to support a political resolution to the crisis.
United Nations agencies have taken over management of vast detention camps in northeastern Syria housing tens of thousands of people associated with I...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Türkiye opposes any form of foreign intervention in I...
NATO’s new 5% of GDP defence pledge shows renewed unity and focus on collective security, Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska told AnewZ in...
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is due to visit Minneapolis on Thursday to show support for federal immigration agents, as tensions continue to rise foll...
France has intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the western Mediterranean over suspicions it was operating as part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet,” a ...
United Nations agencies have taken over management of vast detention camps in northeastern Syria housing tens of thousands of people associated with Islamic State (IS), after Kurdish-led forces guarding the sites withdrew amid clashes with Syrian government troops.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Türkiye opposes any form of foreign intervention in Iran, as protests and economic pressures continue to fuel tensions in the Islamic republic.
NATO’s new 5% of GDP defence pledge shows renewed unity and focus on collective security, Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska told AnewZ in an exclusive interview. It came as U.S. President Donald Trump used his WEF address to again claim credit for pushing allies to lift defence spending.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is due to visit Minneapolis on Thursday to show support for federal immigration agents, as tensions continue to rise following weeks of protests, a fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, and claims that children have been detained.
Qarabağ claimed a late 3–2 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, scoring deep into stoppage time to secure a dramatic home win in Baku.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow could pay $1 billion from Russian assets frozen abroad to secure permanent membership in President Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’.
“I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the U.S.,” US President Donald Trump told the World Economic Forum. During his Wednesday (21 January) address, he once more cited national security concerns as the reason for wanting to own the Arctic island.
A commuter train collided with a construction crane in southeastern Spain on Thursday (22 January), injuring several passengers, days after a high-speed rail disaster in Andalusia killed at least 43 people.
The world has already entered an era of global water bankruptcy, with irreversible damage to rivers, aquifers, lakes and glaciers pushing billions of people into long-term water insecurity, according to a major United Nations report released on Tuesday.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that Türkiye opposes any form of foreign intervention in Iran, as protests and economic pressures continue to fuel tensions in the Islamic republic.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance is due to visit Minneapolis on Thursday to show support for federal immigration agents, as tensions continue to rise following weeks of protests, a fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, and claims that children have been detained.
France has intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the western Mediterranean over suspicions it was operating as part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet,” a network of vessels accused of helping Russia evade international sanctions, French authorities said on Thursday.
The United Kingdom has said it will not yet join U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, citing concerns over the potential involvement of Russia, the country’s foreign secretary said on Thursday.
NATO’s new 5% of GDP defence pledge shows renewed unity and focus on collective security, Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska told AnewZ in an exclusive interview. It came as U.S. President Donald Trump used his WEF address to again claim credit for pushing allies to lift defence spending.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment