Tanzanian military authorities confirmed on Sunday that two soldiers were killed in the last 10 days of clashes in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The fighting, which has intensified in recent weeks, involves the M23 armed group, a militia backed by Rwanda, that has already seized the strategic city of Goma and is threatening to advance towards Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital.
The Tanzanian soldiers were part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the region, deployed to address ongoing instability in the DRC.
The clashes took place on January 24 and 28, when the M23 rebels attacked areas in Sake and Goma.
According to Gaudentius Ilonda, spokesperson for the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF), four other soldiers were wounded in the attacks and are receiving medical treatment in Goma.
The soldiers’ bodies are being prepared for repatriation as part of the military’s efforts to honour their fallen comrades, and TPDF units are continuing their operations under SADC’s guidance.
This tragic loss is part of a wider escalation in the Kivu region, which has been plagued by violence for decades.
The area, rich in minerals, has seen conflict involving a variety of armed groups, including the M23 militia.
The conflict has drawn international attention, with several countries and regional bodies calling for greater action to stop the violence.
In a broader diplomatic move, SADC has called for a joint summit with the East African Community (EAC), which includes eight countries, to address the ongoing crisis.
On Sunday, Rwanda expressed its willingness to attend the summit but also criticised SADC’s involvement in the DRC conflict.
While Rwanda has denied direct military support for the M23 rebels, a United Nations report from July 2024 alleged that Rwanda had around 4,000 troops operating in the eastern DRC and was exerting control over the group.
Rwanda’s government continues to accuse the DRC of supporting the FDLR, a militia composed of former Hutu extremists involved in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, which further complicates the diplomatic and military tensions in the region.
