Faith Nyasuguta
Rwanda has facilitated the exit of troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking a key shift in the region’s volatile conflict. On Tuesday, Rwandan army and police personnel escorted SAMIDRC soldiers through Rwandan territory into Tanzania, following the official termination of their mandate.
The Southern African bloc, made up of 16 countries, deployed the SAMIDRC force in December 2023 to assist the Congolese government in its battle against rebel groups, particularly the M23 rebels. However, Rwanda opposed the deployment from the outset, warning it would worsen tensions.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe welcomed the withdrawal, describing it as a step forward. “The presence of SAMIDRC troops was always a complicating factor in the conflict, and today’s start of withdrawal marks a positive step in support of the ongoing peace process,” he said on X.
The move comes after Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, fell to M23 rebels in February. The city’s capture pushed many SAMIDRC troops, believed to number in the hundreds, to seek refuge at U.N. peacekeeping bases. On Tuesday, Rwandan army spokesperson Ronald Rwivanga confirmed that a portion of those troops had departed Congo and would reach neighbouring Tanzania within hours.
A witness at the border in Gisenyi, Rwanda, observed around 20 military vehicles, carrying soldiers and equipment, crossing from Congo. The convoy included Tanzanian and South African troops, along with an ambulance marked with SAMIDRC signage. Drivers informed bystanders that they were en route to Tanzania. However, according to an M23 source, only about half of the SAMIDRC personnel in Goma left on Tuesday, with the rest expected to follow later.
The withdrawal comes amid a brutal escalation of fighting in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels have taken control of key cities and displaced hundreds of thousands. Thousands have died since the resurgence of M23, a group rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and long-standing competition over Congo’s rich mineral resources.
While the U.N. has accused Rwanda of backing M23 with weapons and troops, Kigali denies the charges, insisting its actions are defensive, aimed at neutralizing threats from Congolese forces and allied militias.
In March, Rwanda called on the African Union and its partners to end support for SAMIDRC, claiming the force was fighting alongside militias linked to the Rwandan genocide. Peace efforts led by Angola and Qatar have so far stalled, though Congo and Rwanda recently signed an agreement in Washington to draft a peace deal by May 2.
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