South African soldier kills another then himself at DRC

In a tragic turn of events, two additional South African soldiers have lost their lives while on duty in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Regrettably, this incident appears to involve a murder-suicide.

“The incident occurred when one of them shot and killed the other with their service weapon before turning the weapon on themselves with fatal consequences,” the South African National Defence Force said in a statement.

An investigation has been opened.

According to a statement from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the soldiers who lost their lives were serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the United Nations’ MONUSCO peacekeeping mission.

This mission has initiated a withdrawal from the conflict-ridden eastern region of the country.

In response to the escalating situation, an additional 2,900 South African troops have been deployed to the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) force.

Their objective is to assist the Congolese government in combatting the M23 rebel group.

Unfortunately, the recent casualties highlight the inherent dangers faced by these deployed troops.

Last month, two soldiers were killed in a mortar strike, prompting concerns from South African opposition parties regarding the adequacy of air and logistics support provided to the deployed forces.

Must read: Hoedspruit Police officer kills SANDF member over shared girlfriend