Ronald Lamola. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola on Tuesday demanded Rwanda withdraw its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo after three more South African soldiers died in the rebel offensive on the eastern city of Goma.
“The current security situation in the eastern DRC is utterly appalling and unacceptable,” Lamola said in a virtual address to an emergency meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council.
Lamola condemned M23 militia’s siege of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, before speaking directly to Rwanda’s role in the conflict.
“We would also like to condemn Rwanda for its support of the M23 as clearly proven by various United Nations reports of experts. We therefore call upon Rwanda to cease its support to the M23 and for its forces to withdraw from the DRC,” he said.
“The unauthorised presence of the Rwanda Defence Forces in eastern DRC is in violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.”
The rebels claimed control of Goma on Tuesday, amid United Nations reports that hundreds were wounded in the battle for the city and bodies were lying scattered in its streets.
Meanwhile, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini confirmed that three of its soldiers were killed in crossfire as the Congolese Defence Force and the M23 traded mortar bombs near Goma airport on Monday.
“The M23 rebels launched several mortar bombs in the direction of Goma airport, which landed in the SANDF base, and this resulted in the SANDF losing three members,” he said in a statement.
“Furthermore, the SANDF is also saddened to announce that one of our members who was injured during the battle with M23 rebels over the past three days later succumbed to injuries.”
The latest casualties means that South Africa has, since late last week, lost 13 soldiers deployed as part of the Southern African Development Community mission in eastern DRC (SAMIDRC) and United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco) in the rebel offensive.
Three more SAMIDRC members from Malawi and one from Monusco from Uruguay were also reported killed in skirmishes with the M23 at Sake, a strategic town some 30 kilometres from Goma, on Thursday and Friday.
Dlamini denied that a video circulating on social media showed SANDF soldiers surrendering to the rebels.
Rwanda has denied backing the lighting offensive, despite reports that it poured soldiers across the border to help M23 capture the capital of North Kivu province.
Lamola’s remarks come a day after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that he had spoken to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
“The two heads of state have agreed on the urgent need for a ceasefire and the resumption of peace talks by all parties to the conflict,” the presidency said.
On Sunday, South Africa’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mathu Joyini, in a meeting of the UN Security Council described the conflict as “cyclical” and called for the urgent revival of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.
The Luanda process in 2024 yielded the Rubavu ceasefire accord, in terms of which Rwanda agreed to withdraw its forces from the DRC.
“It is crucial for the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support to the M23 and for the M23 to immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas,” Joyini said.
“We cannot accept a world wherein non-state actors are armed to do the will of other states, while those states refuse to accept responsibility for unnecessary armed violence and potential war crimes.”
Joyini said the international community could not afford “to simply watch as this conflict in the eastern DRC continues to displace, maim and kill innocent civilians”.
The security council issued a statement on Sunday demanding that the rebels halt their advance towards Goma and that “external forces” in the region withdraw.
The M23 previously captured Goma in 2012, but withdrew soon after when Rwanda came under intense diplomatic pressure.
There are fears that this time the conflict in eastern DRC, a battle for the region’s vast mineral resources, could embroil the wider region.