This after they spent more than a year trying to help DRC army stave off a rebel offensive. 

Their pull-out comes a month after leaders of the regional bloc terminated their mission following an escalation in fighting that led to the fall of the city of Goma. 

Soldiers from Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa (SA) have started pulling out from the east of DRC. 

They are travelling by road from the city of Goma through Rwanda to their assembly point in Tanzania. 

The troops were deployed in late 2023 by leaders of SADC, to help the DRC army fight the M23 rebels. 

But their mission was terminated in March following an increase in fighting. 

The M23 rebels captured the city of Goma in January, leaving 14 SA soldiers dead. 

Leaders of the SADC regional bloc had initially called for a phased withdrawal of the troops. 

But on April 12, the M23 rebels ordered the immediate withdrawal of the SADC troops for allegedly carrying out joint operations with DRC forces and the Wazalendo militia around the city of Goma. Troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have started withdrawing from their bases in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have started withdrawing from their bases in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

--SABC--