Three months after the fall of Goma shifted control of North Kivu province to M23 rebels, troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have begun a phased withdrawal from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, using Rwanda as a transit route.
Soldiers from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania, deployed under the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), entered the region in December 2023 to support Congolese government forces in fighting the M23/AFC rebel coalition. The mission, however, failed to stop the rebel advance, which led to the fall of key cities including Goma and Sake by late January.
On April 29, SADC troops began exiting quietly through the La Corniche border between Goma and Rubavu, Rwanda. The number of troops in this first phase was not disclosed, but witnesses reported at least seven trucks carrying military equipment, escorted by official vehicles.
Rwanda confirmed that it had approved the request for safe passage. “Yes, we granted them permission to pass through Rwanda,” said Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe.
Initially, SADC had planned to airlift its forces out of Goma International Airport under an arrangement with M23, but the airport was reportedly damaged during fighting, complicating those plans. With talks over the airport route stalled, SADC opted for a land exit via Rwanda.
The troops are expected to continue along the Rubavu–Kigali–Rusumo corridor before regrouping in Chato, northwestern Tanzania, where each contributing country will receive its personnel.
A regional summit in February had urged political dialogue to resolve the conflict. On March 13, SADC heads of state agreed to end the mission and begin withdrawing troops in stages.
