CAPE TOWN: South African army said on Saturday that two more of its soldiers have died on their mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, this time they were killed as a result of a murder and suicide.
The South African National Defense Force released a statement stating, “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.”
An investigation into the incident has been initiated.
The SANDF statement noted that the killed soldiers were part of the United Nations MONUSCO peacekeeping force deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. MONUSCO has commenced its withdrawal from the conflict-ridden eastern region of the country.
In addition to the MONUSCO deployment, approximately 2,900 South African troops have been sent to the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) force aimed at aiding the government’s efforts against M23 rebels.
Last month, two of these troops were killed in a mortar strike, prompting criticism from South African opposition parties of stationing force in Congo without sufficient aviation and logistical support.
