Another group of troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), who had been on a mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have returned home again passing through Rwanda.
The contingent of SADC troops (SAMIDR) returned on Monday, June.16,2025, following a similar repatriation of other soldiers who also transited through Rwanda last week.
Sixteen buses from the passenger transport company RITCO were seen again on the Rubavu- Kigali Road carrying the soldiers after entering Rwanda from the DRC.
These troops had been withdrawn from the Mubambiro military base, where they had been stationed for some time following the capture of Goma by the AFC/M23 rebel group.
As the RITCO buses moved along the Rubavu – Kigali highway, security was tightly maintained by Rwandan troops who escorted them from the border with the DRC
Last Thursday, another group OF SADC (SAMIDRC) troops was also repatriated using the same route, transported by RITCO buses from the Mubambiro base.
Since late April of this year, SADC began withdrawing soldiers and equipment used in this mission. A significant position of the equipment was transported to Tanzania, also passing through Rwanda. The current phase involves the repatriation of the troops themselves.
An extraordinary summit of Heads of State of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held on March 13 decided to end the mission of its troops deployed in the DRC to support FARDC in the fight against M23
At that summit, the leaders also ordered the immediate start of the repatriation of both the troops and their equipment.
Brenna AKARABO/Intern
RADIOTV10
