By Munacho Gwamanda–South African soldiers wounded in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been flown home for urgent medical treatment, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has confirmed.

The troops were part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) deployment sent in 2023 to assist Kinshasa in combating armed groups destabilizing the mineral-rich region. 

Last month, 14 SANDF soldiers were killed in an attack by M23 rebels, who Rwanda reportedly backs, while several others sustained serious injuries.

“The group of critically injured soldiers who needed urgent medical attention have been successfully repatriated,“SANDFsaid in a statement.

The military did not disclose the exact number of personnel who had returned but noted that more wounded soldiers are expected to arrive home “during the course of the week.”

SANDF spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini told AFP that a full tally of the injured will be released once all evacuations are completed.

The conflict in eastern DRC has escalated in recent months, with Kinshasa accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, a charge Kigali denies.

The SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which includes South African forces, has been deployed alongside Congolese troops in an effort to restore stability.