Southern Africa bloc ends military mission in DR Congo

People gather next to some vehicles from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as part of the SADC Mission as they flee the Masisi territory following clashes between M23 rebels and government forces, at a road near Sake on February 7, 2024. [AFP]

The southern African regional bloc decided Thursday to end its military deployment to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where it lost at least a dozen soldiers in conflict there in January.

The 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) held a virtual summit to discuss the conflict in the area that has seen some three decades of unrest and claimed millions of lives.