S.Africa troops repatriated from DR Congo to arrive Friday: army

________________

South African troops deployed in the conflict-plagued eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a regional mission began withdrawing Thursday and the first are due home on Friday, authorities said.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) said in March it would end its military mission in the mineral-rich area after 17 of its soldiers were killed in escalating conflict between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group.

The first phase that started in April "focused on the equipment and other logistical assets", SADC said in a statement.

SADC troops heading home via Tanzania.

The second phase that started Thursday "entails the repatriation of mission personnel along with their personal belongings, and the remaining operational equipment", it said.

The South African National Defence Force separately announced that the first group of South African troops was due to arrive Friday at an army base in the city of Bloemfontein.

The SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) -- made up of soldiers from Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa -- was sent to the region in December 2023 to help the government of the DRC, also a SADC member, restore peace and security in the volatile region.

The M23 has seized large swathes of DRC's North and South Kivu provinces, including capturing the key provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu early this year.

Stationed in Goma and Sake, the SAMIDRC troops "will be transported to the United Republic of Tanzania where the Tanzanian contingent will continue to Dar es Salaam", the SADC statement said.

UN'S Bintou Keita arrives in Goma June 12.

"South African and Malawian contingents will be airlifted to their respective countries," it said.

The size of the deployment was never made public, but analysts estimate it to number at least 1,300 soldiers, with South Africa contributing most of the troops.

Meanwhile, On  Thursday, he head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo Bintou Keita, on Thursday  made her first visit  toGoma since its capture by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, the UN mission said.

Keita, who is the UN secretary general's special representative, will meet representatives of the armed group and the AFC alliance to which it belongs during her three-day visit, MONUSCO said on X.

Discussions will include "the priorities of MONUSCO's mandate, notably the protection of civilians", it added.