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.
The Kremlin backed U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Russia’s expulsion from the G8 in 2014 was a mistake but dismissed the relevance of the current G7, calling it “rather useless.”
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) has confirmed that Azerbaijan will host the Ski Mountaineering World Championships in 2027, marking the first time the country will stage the prestigious event.
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a $1.2 billion plan to host a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok starting in 2028, aiming to boost tourism and put the capital on the global motorsport map with an annual event running through 2032.
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump-era termination of hundreds of diversity-focused scientific research grants was unlawful and discriminatory, ordering the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to reinstate the cancelled funding.
Global oil demand will continue rising until around 2030, even as China’s consumption peaks in 2027, driven by low U.S. gasoline prices and slower EV adoption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday.
The Kremlin backed U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Russia’s expulsion from the G8 in 2014 was a mistake but dismissed the relevance of the current G7, calling it “rather useless.”
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) has confirmed that Azerbaijan will host the Ski Mountaineering World Championships in 2027, marking the first time the country will stage the prestigious event.
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a $1.2 billion plan to host a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok starting in 2028, aiming to boost tourism and put the capital on the global motorsport map with an annual event running through 2032.
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump-era termination of hundreds of diversity-focused scientific research grants was unlawful and discriminatory, ordering the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to reinstate the cancelled funding.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that China-Kyrgyzstan relations have reached their strongest point in history. He made the remarks during a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on the sidelines of the 2nd China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Pakistan will begin its first freight train service to Russia from Lahore on June 22. The route is part of the INSTC and aims to connect Pakistan's rail network with Central Asia, establishing a new trade corridor via Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
Israeli strikes have reportedly targeted areas near the residences of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the New York Times, citing local witnesses.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has cancelled certain flights scheduled for 13th and 14th June amid recent escalation of situation in the Middle East and the closure of airspace in several countries for security reasons.
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation advisory for Iranian civilians living near weapons production sites and associated infrastructure within Iran. The message was shared on the social media platform X in both Arabic and Farsi by an official military spokesperson.
Uzbekistan and China have reaffirmed their strategic partnership with fresh momentum, agreeing to fast-track major infrastructure and investment projects including the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has launched a global campaign to defend the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention following plans by several countries to withdraw from the landmark treaty, warning that civilian lives are at risk.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada to call for renewed negotiations over Iran and efforts to de-escalate the worsening Middle East crisis.
The Kremlin backed U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Russia’s expulsion from the G8 in 2014 was a mistake but dismissed the relevance of the current G7, calling it “rather useless.”
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a $1.2 billion plan to host a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok starting in 2028, aiming to boost tourism and put the capital on the global motorsport map with an annual event running through 2032.
The Kremlin backed U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Russia’s expulsion from the G8 in 2014 was a mistake but dismissed the relevance of the current G7, calling it “rather useless.”
The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) has confirmed that Azerbaijan will host the Ski Mountaineering World Championships in 2027, marking the first time the country will stage the prestigious event.
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a $1.2 billion plan to host a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok starting in 2028, aiming to boost tourism and put the capital on the global motorsport map with an annual event running through 2032.
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump-era termination of hundreds of diversity-focused scientific research grants was unlawful and discriminatory, ordering the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to reinstate the cancelled funding.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that China-Kyrgyzstan relations have reached their strongest point in history. He made the remarks during a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on the sidelines of the 2nd China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
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