Southern African Bloc Extends Congo Troop Deployment to Counter Escalating Rebel Violence

The SADC has renewed its mission for another year as the humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo worsens, with millions displaced and ongoing violence from M23 rebels.

• The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has extended its troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo for an additional year to address escalating violence in the country's eastern region.
• The M23 rebel group, reportedly backed by Rwanda, has violated a July ceasefire and continues targeting civilians, contributing to one of the world's largest humanitarian crises with over 7 million displaced people.
• SADC forces, including nearly 5,000 troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, have helped secure the key city of Goma, where hundreds of thousands of refugees are sheltering, but the region remains unstable.
• The United Nations peacekeepers, whose mandate was initially set to end in December, will also remain in the region due to the worsening security situation, though they face criticism for limited effectiveness.
• Eastern Congo's decades-long conflict, fueled by competition over land and mineral resources, involves over 100 armed groups accused of mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and other atrocities.

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