South African soldiers deployed in the eastern DRC under SAMIDRC are in dire conditions, facing food shortages and safety concerns, leading to calls for their withdrawal. The troops report insufficient support from authorities, expressing urgency to return home. Experts question the mission’s mandate as South African forces struggle against M23 rebels. The situation has prompted discussions on the need for strategic withdrawal to ensure troops’ safety.
South African troops deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) are reportedly in a concerning situation and are seeking to return home. Soldiers stationed in Goma have expressed their distress to the South African broadcaster eNCA, indicating their dire need for repatriation due to dwindling food and supplies.
Recent media reports highlighted that these soldiers are now vulnerable, with over a thousand South African troops reportedly running low on essential supplies. The South African National Defence Union (Sandu) has been receiving unsettling communications from the troops, raising alarms about their safety amidst a volatile environment. Sandu’s National Secretary, Pikkie Greeff, emphasized the troubling reality that these soldiers may be used as bargaining chips in a larger geopolitical scenario.
Calls for the South African government to withdraw its forces from DRC are escalating, as experts question the mandate and efficacy of the SAMIDRC mission in the conflict-impacted region. The South African National Defence Forces (SANDF) are chiefly responsible for supporting the Congolese army against the M23 rebel group, while military contributions have also come from Tanzania and Malawi.
The current context reveals that the Congolese army is engaged in combat alongside several other military entities, including the Burundian army and the FDLR, which is notorious for its history of genocide. Unfortunately, despite these combined forces, the coalition has been unsuccessful against the M23, which has captured strategic locations like Goma and Bukavu.
In recent developments, 200 SAMIDRC soldiers requiring medical assistance were repatriated after being granted safe passage through Rwanda. Reports confirmed that numerous FDLR fighters, including commanders, have been captured in this ongoing conflict. Given the gravity of the situation, with South African troops surrounded and previous casualties in January, calls for withdrawal from the mission are intensifying.
John Supard, a defense and security expert, has suggested that South Africa should accept the current predicament and prioritize the safe extraction of SANDF soldiers from eastern DRC. In previous statements, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga asserted that SANDF contingents were adequately equipped for their engagements against the M23 rebels, but ground realities indicate otherwise, highlighting possible neglect.
The situation facing South African troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo is increasingly alarming, with growing calls for their withdrawal due to inadequate support and dangerous conditions. Soldiers have expressed desperation to return home amid food shortages and volatile security issues. Experts advocate for a strategic retreat to ensure the safety of personnel, contrasting the government’s assertions of military readiness. This unfolding crisis reveals the urgent need for reevaluation of South Africa’s military involvement in the region.
Original Source: www.newtimes.co.rw
