Rwandan Escort of SADC Troops to Tanzania

Rwanda's army is escorting Southern African troops through its territory to Tanzania amid a phased withdrawal from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Southern African Development Community ended its mission supporting Kinshasa against rebels. Troops found refuge in UN bases after Goma fell to rebels.

The Rwandan army is currently undertaking the task of escorting troops belonging to a Southern African force through Rwandan territory en route to Tanzania. This operation is part of the withdrawal process from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, following the decision by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to terminate its mandate in March.

The SADC, a coalition of 16 states, dispatched its SAMIDRC force to the region last December, aiming to bolster Kinshasa's military efforts against rebel factions along Congo's eastern frontiers. However, the mission is now drawing to a close, prompting a systematic pullout of the troops.

During their deployment, many soldiers had to seek refuge in United Nations peacekeeping bases after Goma, eastern Congo's strategic hub, was overtaken by M23 rebels allegedly backed by Rwanda in February. This situation underscored the complex dynamics at play within the region's security landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)