SADC is ending its military mission in eastern DRC, withdrawing troops amid rising M23 rebel advances. Peace talks between the DRC and M23 are set to begin in Angola on March 18.

The Southern African regional bloc announced on Thursday its decision to end its military deployment in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where it suffered at least a dozen casualties in January. The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened a virtual summit to discuss the conflict, which has persisted for nearly three decades, leading to the loss of millions of lives.

The summit concluded with a decision to terminate the mandate of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) and begin a phased withdrawal of its troops. The SAMIDRC mission was deployed in December 2023 to support the DRC government in restoring peace and security. South Africa lost 14 soldiers in the eastern DRC conflict in January, with most of them being part of the SAMIDRC mission, while at least two were involved in a separate United Nations peacekeeping operation. Three Malawian troops in the SADC deployment also lost their lives.

Officials have not disclosed the exact number of troops in the deployment, which includes soldiers from Tanzania, but South Africa has contributed the largest contingent, estimated at over 1,000 soldiers. Pressure has been mounting in South Africa for the government to withdraw its troops, with reports indicating that they are largely confined to their base due to advances by M23 fighters.

The M23 rebel group has rapidly captured significant territory in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, including the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu, since January. The virtual SADC summit took place just a day after Angola announced that peace talks between the DRC and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group were set to commence next week.

During the summit, SADC chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasized the need for urgency in resolving the conflict, warning that its consequences could extend beyond the DRC’s borders. He stressed the importance of inclusive dialogue and described the review of the SAMIDRC mandate as timely.

Angola’s presidential office confirmed that direct peace talks between the DRC and M23 would begin on March 18 in Luanda. The announcement followed mediation efforts led by Angola, with President Joao Lourenco meeting with DRC President Felix Tshisekedi. Tshisekedi had previously refused to engage in dialogue with the M23, in line with Rwanda’s demands.

A United Nations report has indicated that Rwanda maintains around 4,000 troops in eastern DRC in support of the M23 rebels, though Rwanda denies providing military assistance to the group. Meanwhile, the DRC has reported that the M23’s advance has resulted in over 7,000 deaths since the beginning of 2025, according to AFP.