Members of the SADC mission began their withdrawal from conflict-ridden eastern DR Congo through Rwanda on Tuesday, April 29. Vehicles carrying at least 57 troops and civilian trucks carrying military equipment departed from La Corniche Border Post in Rubavu District around 11 a.m., heading to Rusumo border with Tanzania, sources told The New Times. ALSO READ: SADC requests troops’ safe passage from eastern DR Congo through Rwanda The initial group comprised 32 South Africans, 16 Malawians and 9 Tanzanians. They were escorted by Rwanda Defence Force. From Rusumo, they will continue to Chato in Tanzania, the sources said. WATCH: Members of the SADC mission began their withdrawal from conflict-ridden eastern DR Congo through Rwanda on Tuesday, April 29.https://t.co/TsoThUXEbM pic.twitter.com/OjiAjt86Dy — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) April 29, 2025 The SADC forces had been part of a Congolese government coalition fighting the AFC/M23 rebels in North Kivu province. The troops’ passage through Rwanda from the rebel-controlled province follows a SADC request sent to the Rwandan government in mid-April asking to facilitate their exit. ALSO READ: SAMIDRC: My visit to a force 'welcome to Soweto' but unwelcome to DR Congo Rwanda is providing safe passage and an escort for convoys of [SADC] troops and equipment withdrawing from eastern DR Congo through Rwanda to Tanzania, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe said on X. The presence of [SADC} 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 added. ALSO READ: SADC forces in DR Congo sought to 'bring war to Rwanda' The Congolese government coalition, which includes the genocidal militia FDLR, Burundian forces and Wazalendo groups, has seen losses since January when the AFC/M23 rebels took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu. In February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the SADC forces supported Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi's plan to launch attacks on Rwanda, according to discoveries and information coming from Goma after the M23 rebels took control of the city On March 28, the rebels and the SADC mission had signed an agreement on the withdrawal of the South Africa-led SADC forces from DR Congo, with the rebels allowing the former to leave eastern DR Congo with their weapons and equipment. ALSO READ: Nduhungirehe: Washington declaration ‘opens door to peace’ in DR Congo The SADC forces withdrawal at a time peace efforts have gained momentum, with the Congolese government and the rebels having met and agreed on a ceasefire in their the first direct negotiations. On April 23, the two parties jointly announced they had decided to pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict, following Qatar-mediated peace talks that had began on April 10 in Doha. ALSO READ: Details of Rwanda-DR Congo declaration of principles signed in Washington DC Rwanda and DR Congo, whose diplomatic relations took a hit from the conflict, on April 25 reached an important agreement to resolve the sticking issues, thanks to mediation by the US government. Rwanda has for years raised concernns about DR Congo's collaboration with the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned group founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. DR Congo accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, allegations Rwanda dismisses pointing out that it has put in place defensive measures to prevent the security threats from materialising.
