A contingent of approximately 250 South Sudanese soldiers departed Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Friday.
This withdrawal marks the latest chapter in the East African Community’s (EAC) controversial deployment, which began in November 2022 and is now drawing to a close after Kinshasa refused to renew its mandate.
The EAC force, comprised of troops from seven member nations, was initially invited by the DRC authorities to assist in combating the M23 rebel group, which had resurfaced and captured significant territory in the region.
However, the operation was met with growing criticism, with both President Felix Tshisekedi and local residents accusing the force of collaborating with the rebels instead of actively engaging them.
The South Sudanese soldiers were observed departing Goma International Airport at approximately 5:20 AM local time, bound for Juba. A second flight is scheduled for later in the day, with Ugandan and Burundian contingents expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.
The withdrawal of the entire EAC force is anticipated to be completed by January 7, 2024.
This development follows the departure of two Kenyan contingents totaling around 100 soldiers last Sunday.
The Kenyan troops had initially arrived in Goma a year ago at the DRC’s request. However, along with the other EAC contingents except for Burundi, they faced accusations of collusion with the rebels from both the central government and local communities.
The M23 rebels, active in North Kivu since late 2021, have gained considerable ground with alleged support from neighboring Rwanda, another EAC member.
Although Rwanda denies these accusations, the situation has fueled tensions and raised concerns about regional stability. With the EAC force withdrawing, Kinshasa is now looking towards potentially deploying security forces from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), another regional bloc of which the DRC is a member.
This decision reflects the DRC’s desire for a different approach to address the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where numerous armed groups and militias have been active for decades.
Meanwhile, fighting continues between M23 and the DRC army, supported by local militia groups known as “patriots.” This volatile situation highlights the complex and long-standing challenges faced by eastern Congo in achieving lasting peace and security.
