Two members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) were killed and three others injured, after a mortar attack on the South African Contingent military base in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The SANDF confirmed that a mortar hit one of the base camps, inflicting numerous injuries.
The army said it was not clear who launched the attack and that details of the incident remain “sketchy”.
“The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirms that on February 14, 2024 at about 1.30pm, a mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African Contingent military bases, inflicting casualties and injuries to the SANDF soldiers.
“As a result of this indirect fire, the SANDF suffered two fatalities and three members sustained injuries.
“The injured were taken to the nearest hospital in Goma for medical attention,” the SANDF said in a statement.
Around 2,900 SANDF soldiers were deployed to Congo to help quell fighting between government forces and M23 rebels, both of whom want control of the Congo’s vast mineral assets.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment as part of SA’s commitment to the SADC region.
Ramaphosa indicated that they will be deployed from December 2023 to December 2024.
“In fulfilling South Africa’s international obligation towards the SADC mission to support the DRC, President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the employment of 2,900 members of the South African National Defence Force to assist in the fight against illegal armed groups in the eastern DRC,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya in an earlier IOL report.
“The budgeted expenditure to be incurred for the employment amounts to just over R2 billion. This expenditure will not impact provisions for the defence force’s regular maintenance and emergency repairs.”
IOL