SADC ends military mission in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has decided to end its military mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the loss of at least 14 soldiers in January. During a recent video conference summit, SADC leaders, including Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, agreed to terminate the mandate of the SADC Mission in the DRC and begin a phased withdrawal of troops. The mission was launched in December 2023 to help restore peace in the DRC, which has faced decades of conflict. The majority of the troops were from South Africa, with additional contributions from Malawi and Tanzania.