Nine South African peacekeepers have lost their lives in intense clashes with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the South African Defence Ministry confirmed on Saturday. Among the casualties were seven members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional force and two from the United Nations’ MONUSCO peacekeeping mission.
The deaths occurred following two days of fierce fighting, which ended on Friday, January 24, 2025. The ministry stated that efforts to confirm the number of injured personnel are ongoing.
Earlier reports from South Africa’s Democratic Alliance party, part of the country’s coalition government, had cited three fatalities and 18 wounded from Thursday’s clashes. However, the latest update marks the first official acknowledgement of the full casualty count by the South African military.
Despite heavy losses, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) reported that its troops, alongside counterparts in the regional force, succeeded in halting the M23 rebels’ advance on Goma, a strategic city in eastern DRC.
“Our forces were not only able to halt the M23 advancement but were able to push them back,” the Defence Ministry’s statement said, praising the soldiers for their “gallant resistance.”
The clashes come amid escalating violence in the region, despite international calls for the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels to cease their offensive on Goma. The mineral-rich city is home to over a million people and is a key hub in the eastern DRC.
The ongoing conflict has intensified calls for international intervention to restore stability in the region. M23 rebels, who have been linked to Rwanda, continue to press their advance despite diplomatic efforts and a United Nations presence aimed at quelling the violence.
The deaths of the South African peacekeepers highlight the significant risks faced by both regional and UN forces operating in the DRC, as well as the broader challenges of achieving peace in one of Africa’s most volatile regions.
