At least 12 peacekeepers, including two from the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO, have lost their lives in clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), authorities have confirmed.
Congolese troops and peacekeepers have been engaged in fierce battles in recent days to halt an offensive by M23 rebels towards the city of Goma, the administrative center of North Kivu province.
The three-year rebellion by M23 in the mineral-rich eastern region of the DRC has escalated in January, with rebels taking control of more territory, prompting concerns from the UN about the risk of a wider conflict in the region.
As of Friday, nine South African soldiers had been killed in the confrontations with M23 rebels, according to a statement from the South African armed forces on Saturday.
Two South Africans serving with the UN peacekeeping mission and seven others in the Southern African regional bloc’s force in the DRC lost their lives during two days of fierce combat, the statement revealed.
“The soldiers fought bravely to prevent the rebels from advancing towards Goma, as was their intention,” the statement said, noting that the M23 rebels had been pushed back.
An anonymous UN official confirmed to The Associated Press news agency that two UN soldiers were among those killed in the clashes.
The UN official told the agency that the peacekeepers lost their lives on Friday.
Malawi’s military spokesperson also confirmed that three of its peacekeepers in the SADC mission had been killed during engagements with M23 rebels.
“We confirm the loss of three of our courageous soldiers who were part of the SADC Mission in the DRC,” spokesperson Emmanuel Mlelemba said, referring to the South African Development Community’s SAMIDRC mission.
“These soldiers were killed in action during an encounter with the M23 rebel group operating in eastern DRC. Further details will be provided as the situation remains volatile,” he added.
M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, is a militia group made up of ethnic Tutsis who defected from the Congolese army over a decade ago. Following its resurgence in 2022, M23 has continued to expand its control in eastern DRC.
Both the DRC and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons, an accusation Rwanda vehemently denies.
M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the city of Goma, a key center for security and aid operations in the region.
The UN announced that it would temporarily relocate nonessential staff from Goma, such as administrative personnel.
Critical operations, including food distribution, medical assistance, shelter, and protection for vulnerable communities, are being maintained by essential personnel on the ground, the UN stated.
M23 is just one of around 100 armed groups competing for influence in the resource-rich eastern region of the DRC, bordering Rwanda, in a longstanding conflict that has resulted in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
Since 1998, approximately six million people have lost their lives while around seven million have been displaced within the country.
More than 237,000 individuals have been displaced by the recent fighting in eastern Congo since the start of the year, according to a report from the United Nations refugee agency.
On Thursday, M23 took control of the town of Sake, located just 27km (16 miles) west of Goma and one of the last key routes into the provincial capital that remained under government control, as reported by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
