South Africa National Defense Force (SANDF) announced its 129 seriously injured soldiers arrived in South Africa on the morning of February 25, 2025.
“SANDF confirms that the seriously injured soldiers, who require urgent medical attention, have arrived home from DRC and will receive the highest level of care. The others will arrive in South Africa this week”, said the announcement.
The soldiers, including those who lost their limbs in the fighting, also returned home with 40 Malawians and 25 Tanzanians who were also seriously injured.
SANDF added that more of more of its soldiers injured in fighting in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo will be repatriated this week.
The repatriated soldiers crossed the Rwandan border at Rubavu, with the help of the United Nations, which provided vehicles, and continued to Kigali International Airport.
The soldiers were staying in UN camps on the outskirts of the cities of Goma and Sake in North Kivu Province, where M23 fighters were guarding them.
More than one thousand remain in these camps, along with military equipment and weapons. M23 is also guarding them.
M23 recently announced that these soldiers, who were formerly part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, must return home and stop interfering in the war in the DRC. (End)