Pretoria: The second group of South African peacekeepers departed Congo Sunday and arrived at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria, according to local media.

According to Anadolu Agency, the South African army stated that the first group of 249 soldiers had returned from Tanzania on Friday, with a third group expected to arrive on Monday. The troops were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in Congo, which was approved by the 16-member bloc in May 2023 to address the conflict in eastern Congo.

SADC announced last Thursday that it had initiated the second and final phase of withdrawing its forces from eastern Congo after the mission's mandate was terminated in early March. The withdrawal process, which began in April, also includes the evacuation of equipment and logistics from the region.

Since December 2024, the M23 rebels have taken control of significant territories, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu in North and South Kivu, exacerbating the instability in the region. The conflict has led to the deaths of at least 20 peacekeepers, including 14 South Africans, during clashes with Congolese forces.

Despite ongoing peace negotiations mediated by the emir of Qatar, reports of continued clashes and heavy weapons fire have emerged from Rutshuru territory in recent weeks. The Congolese government has accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a claim that Rwanda has denied.

Prime Minister Judith Suminwa has reported that the violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 7,000 people this year. Additionally, the United Nations reports that over 7.8 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.