DRC: South Sudanese Soldiers Land In Eastern Congo

The first batch of South Sudanese soldiers arrived in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, April 2, 2023. 

The squad of at least 45 soldiers is joining a regional military contingent in the M23-ravaged area.

Last June, the East African Community (EAC) armed group of seven nations was established. It will be in charge of overseeing the departure of M23 fighters from eastern DRC.

Many armed organisations plague much of the area, a legacy of regional conflicts that erupted in the 1990s and 2000s.

M23 rebels have seized vast areas of territory in North Kivu province and moved within a few dozen kilometres of its city Goma since resurfacing in late 2021.

Several regional efforts, such as ceasefires, aimed at defusing the war have failed to materialize.

According to a schedule approved by the EAC in mid-February, the withdrawal of "all armed groups" was due to conclude on March 30.