With the withdrawal of its forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo reportedly imminent, Sadc has denied claims by M23 rebels that its coalition troops were responsible for recent attacks in the region.
Since its deployment in December 2023, the regional force has failed to push back M23 forces and has suffered casualties — 14 of the fatalities being SANDF soldiers. The withdrawal of the Sadc Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) is the second Sadc deployment to end inconclusively, the first being the bloc’s mission in Mozambique.
The M23, in a statement last week, said it strongly condemned a “series of joint operations by SAMIDRC in co-operation with the FARDC [the Armed Forces of the DRC], FDLR [Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda] and Wazalendo militias in Goma, including the attacks on April 11, which directly threaten the stability and security of civilians”.
It said the “recent attempts by Kinshasa’s coalition forces to retake Goma have been decisively repelled”.
“These attacks violate the existing Sadc agreements and therefore delay the rehabilitation of the Goma airport. This compels the M23 to demand the immediate withdrawal of SAMIDRC forces.”
The rebels also demanded the “immediate surrender of FARDC forces stationed in Monusco (the UN Organisation Sstabilisation Mission in the DRC)”.
M23 is just spreading propaganda to push us to leave our equipment here.
— SANDF source in Goma.
Sadc denied the allegations this week.
“Sadc firmly refutes these allegations. Sadc has not participated in any joint operations as claimed. These assertions are both inaccurate and misleading," it said in a statement. “In alignment with the directive of the Sadc summit of heads of state and government, Sadc is currently implementing a structured and co-ordinated withdrawal from the DRC.
“Sadc further reaffirms its commitment to the agreements reached during the consultative engagement — held on March 28, in Goma — between Sadc and the leadership of the M23.”
An SANDF source in Goma said there had been no joint operations. “M23 is just spreading propaganda to push us to leave our equipment here," they said. "There’s none of us operating in any operations here, joint or otherwise. They see the base I’m at as a threat. They’re not guarding outside other bases except this one in Goma.”
The Sunday Times reported earlier that Sadc was planning to use Goma International Airport to ferry troops and equipment home. But the SANDF source said at the time that this would be difficult under M23 control. “M23 built sandbag gun placements on the runway to give them cover so they can fight from there.”
That situation hasn’t changed. “The sandbags and broken vehicles are still on the runway. At least the food became better after you reported on our predicament, but that has changed again because M23 is not allowing us freedom of movement,” the SANDF source said.
Word on the ground is that withdrawal is imminent. “The stories keep changing, but the last word was we’ll fly from either Kigali [in Rwanda] or Chato in Tanzania, though they haven’t finalised anything. Our equipment will be road- transported to Tanzania and then by sea from Dar es Salaam to Durban,” said the source.
“They promised to bring lowbed trucks ... about 46 of them for the whole SAMIDRC. There seems to be some urgency this time. It seems I’ll be home in two weeks’ time.”
The source did not believe flying out was a workable solution. “The word from the commanders is that the lowbed trucks are mainly for weapons and equipment, and we'll be transported in 60-seater buses ... The dates aren’t confirmed yet, but it seems equipment will move within days. But, like I said, confusion reigns. The rebels seems to change their stance at every turn, to manipulate and — ultimately — remain with some equipment.”
Meanwhile, Rwanda's New Times tweeted on Thursday that a request had been made to arrange a withdrawal through Rwanda. It said a high-placed source had confirmed that a request was made to “the government of Rwanda to facilitate the exit of Sadc/SAMIDRC troops from eastern DRC”.
“This is a welcome development that’s in line with the Africa-led process to find lasting peace and security in the region, and the exit will be facilitated in a friendly manner,” the publication reported.
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