The troops consist of 317 soldiers from South Africa and 144 from Malawi. They travelled in 11 RITCO buses, escorted by Rwandan security agencies.
The troops crossed the 'Grande Barrière' border post a few minutes before 9:00 a.m., and headed to Kigali, from where they continued their journey to Tanzania to be airlifted to their home countries.
The repatriation of SAMIDRC troops through Rwanda began on June 12, 2025, as part of the second phase of the withdrawal process.
The mission, launched in December 2023 to support Congolese forces in neutralising the M23 rebel group, was terminated in March.
The first phase of the withdrawal, which began on 29 April, focused on the removal of equipment and logistical supplies.
Deployed with an offensive mandate, SAMIDRC was tasked with pushing back the M23 rebels, who have repeatedly stated they are fighting against the marginalisation and persecution of Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in the DRC. However, the mission faced significant operational challenges.
In January, M23 rebels seized the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu, dealing a serious blow to the regional intervention force. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of 18 SADC troops, including 14 from South Africa, two from Malawi, and two from Tanzania, and left dozens injured.
Since the loss of Goma, SAMIDRC forces had largely remained confined to their bases, amid growing political pressure from within SADC member states to disengage. In South Africa, lawmakers increasingly questioned the rationale behind continued military involvement.
IGIHE
