SADC troops to take off when M23 rebels get ground

South African leaders have announced that they will get their troops from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where they have helped the government to combat rebels.

The troops were sent two years ago to support the Congolese army fighting against the Rwandan M23 rebels, which this year this year control over large parts of mineral-rich Eastern Dr. Congo seized.

At least 19 soldiers from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania were killed when the M23 conquered the largest city in the region, Goma in January.

Thousands of people were killed during the fighting and hundreds of thousands left without shelter after fleeing their homes.

There have been worries that the fighting can escalate to a broader regional conflict.

The M23 has continued to end up in the east of Dr. Congo and last month seized in the second largest city in the region, Bukavu.

The use of South Africa was heavily criticized by the public and the opposition after killing his soldiers.

Cyril Ramaphosa announced the withdrawal and said that the “situation” situation is precarious, but the peace as it is now “.

However, the M23 continued to grab more territory this week.

Sandile Swanda, a South African political analyst, told the BBC that it was a “embarrassing” situation for her country.

“The rebels are very strong. This is a complete war and South Africa is hardly ready for such a war,” he said.

He added: “No country in the SADC region is ready for this war – psychological, military and politics.”

But the withdrawal is not only a setback for South Africa, it is a blow to both SADC and the Dr. Congo, analysts say.

Stephanie Wolters, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the BBC that the withdrawal of SADC weakens the position of Kinshasa.

“She [Sadc] Have gone from Kinshasa’s side to being at best in a neutral position, “she said.

In February The president of Malawi said his troops would be withdrawn from Dr. CongoAlthough he gave no reason.

The decision to “phased withdrawal” by Dr. Congo was taken during a virtual top of the 16-person Southern African Development Community (SADC) in the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare, on Thursday.

No reason was given.

The SADC leaders said, although the troops would be withdrawn from Dr. Congo, the block would continue to “support interventions aimed at bringing permanent peace”.

SADC also called for a diplomatic and political solution for the conflict.

Previous efforts to peace to Dr. To bring Congo, have not been successful.

But Angola announced this week that the next week peace talks between Dr. Congo and the M23 will organize in the capital Luanda. The M23 said they “welcomed” this movement.

Dr. President Félix Tshisekedi. Congo has previously refused to enter into direct negotiations with the group and to stand on it alone talking to Rwanda.

This was the third emergency summit of SADC on Dr. Congo in recent months.

It is unclear how many SADC troops in Dr. Being Congo, but 5,000 troops would be sent.

South Africa, which leads the mission, was to use 2,900 troops and the rest shared between Malawi and Tanzania.