The Southern African Development Community (SADC), which groups 16 states, said in mid-March it had terminated the mandate of its mission and would begin a phased withdrawal of its force, known as SAMIDRC, from DRC.

The force was sent to assist Kinshasa's fight against rebel groups in the DRC's eastern borderlands in December 2023.

Many of its troops sought shelter in United Nations peacekeeping bases after Goma, eastern DRC largest city, fell to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in February.

--Reuters--