Three Tanzanian soldiers have been killed by mortar fire in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Three other Tanzanian soldiers have been injured in the attack and are receiving treatment.
The men were part of a Southern African peacekeeping mission.
Under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative, troops have been deployed as part of a unified effort to confront the escalating security issues in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A statement issued by SADC describes the incident leading to the soldiers’ death as regrettable, saying it was caused by a mortar shell landing near their camp.
There has also been a fatality involving a South African soldier at a hospital in Goma, the capital. SADC says the soldier died in hospital after treatment for a health issue
The contingent deployed by SADC is composed of military personnel from Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa.
The deaths come amid unconfirmed allegations from the Alliance Fleuve Congo, a conglomerate of rebel factions in the DRC, that Tanzanian forces apprehended one of their leaders, Eric Nkuba Shebandu and subsequently surrendered him to the authorities of the Congolese government.
For years, Congolese government troops have been engaged in a battle with M23 insurgents in the country’s eastern region.
The conflict has tragically resulted in over 6 million deaths. Reporting by Daniel Kijo
