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South Africa to lead new military force in the DRC: an expert on what it’s up against

South Africa to lead new military force in the DRC: an expert on what it’s up against

THE United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Monusco, is ending after 20 years. It will be replaced by troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), led by the South African military. Thomas Mandrup, an expert in African security governance and South African military and foreign policy, recently wrote a paper on the subject. We asked him about the new mission and what awaits it. THOMAS MANDRUP, Associate Professor, Security Institute for Governance and Leadership In Africa (SIGLA), Stellenbosch University What prompted the deployment? The security situation in the eastern DRC has deteriorated in recent…
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South Africa recalls U.N. peacekeepers accused of sexual misconduct in Congo

South Africa recalls U.N. peacekeepers accused of sexual misconduct in Congo

THE South African National Defence Force has recalled eight U.N. peacekeepers deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo following allegations of sexual misconduct against them, it said on Sunday. The soldiers were part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, known as MONUSCO, and sources first told Reuters about the alleged abuses last week. In a statement released on Sunday, the SANDF said it was "unfortunate" that South Africa first learned about the allegations in the media, and that proper reporting procedures were not followed. "Due to the serious nature of the allegations, the SANDF took a decision to recall the…
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Eight UN peacekeepers detained in Congo over sexual abuse claims

Eight UN peacekeepers detained in Congo over sexual abuse claims

EIGHT U.N. peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been detained over allegations of sexual abuse, sources told Reuters, as the U.N. said it would investigate unspecified serious misconduct. The U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo, known as MONUSCO, said in a statement that it had suspended a number of its peacekeepers in response to reports of the misconduct without giving further details. A U.N. source and a Congolese security source said the allegations concerned eight South African peacekeepers in the eastern city of Beni. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss it…
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40 killed in attack on DRC camp

40 killed in attack on DRC camp

MORE than 45 civilians were killed in a militia attack on a camp for displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province early on Monday, the United Nations peacekeeping mission said. The Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) group, one of many militias operating in the conflict-ridden east, was responsible for the killings at the "LALA" camp, the mission, known as MONUSCO, said in a statement. CODECO claims to defend the interests of Lendu farmers, who have long been in conflict with Hema herders. Its fighters have killed hundreds of civilians in Ituri province and…
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Congo blames rebels for U.N. peacekeeper death as insecurity spurs protests

Congo blames rebels for U.N. peacekeeper death as insecurity spurs protests

CONGO'S government blamed M23 rebels for an attack on a helicopter that killed a United Nations peacekeeper, as hundreds in the eastern city of Goma demonstrated over spiralling insecurity in the region. Militia violence has racked the Democratic Republic of Congo's vast mineral-rich east for two decades despite local and regional military interventions and U.N. peacekeeping efforts. A helicopter operated by the peacekeeping force MONUSCO came under fire on Sunday after taking off from the city of Beni. A South African peacekeeper was killed and another wounded. Neither South Africa nor MONUSCO said who might be responsible, nor what kind of weapon…
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South African peacekeeper killed in DRC after U.N. chopper comes under fire

South African peacekeeper killed in DRC after U.N. chopper comes under fire

ONE U.N. peacekeeper from South Africa was killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo when a helicopter operated by the peacekeeping force came under fire while in mid-air, the U.N. mission in Congo and South Africa's military said. The helicopter came under fire after taking off from the city of Beni in the early afternoon. Another South African peacekeeper was also wounded in the attack but could continue flying and landed safely at the airport of the provincial capital Goma, the South African National Defence Force said in a statement. Neither South Africa nor the U.N. mission called MONUSCO…
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Mass graves found in the DRC

Mass graves found in the DRC

MASS graves containing 49 bodies have been discovered in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations said, attributing the killings to an ethnic militia group. Forty-two bodies, including 12 women and six children, were found buried in the village of Nyamamba, in Ituri province. The bodies of seven men were found in the village of Mbogi, about 30 km (19 miles) east of the provincial capital Bunia, the U.N. peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, said on Twitter. "MONUSCO strongly condemns these barbaric and cowardly killings attributed to CODECO," it said, adding that peacekeepers had launched a patrol in the area…
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Civilians attack U.N. peacekeeping convoy in eastern Congo

Civilians attack U.N. peacekeeping convoy in eastern Congo

CIVILIANS attacked a United Nations peacekeeping convoy in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday evening, injuring two people, the U.N. mission said. The convoy was attacked when it stopped at an army checkpoint near an internally displaced person site in Kanyarutshinya, 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the city of Goma. A crowd assembled and threw stones at the convoy, setting fire to at least one truck, the U.N. mission, MONUSCO, said on Twitter. U.N. peacekeepers fired warning shots into the air and finally left the zone, it said. Frustration has grown in the region this year with the…
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