Three UN peacekeepers from South Africa have been killed in fighting M23 rebels in eastern Congo, a political party and a trade union said Saturday.
The peacekeepers were killed on Thursday. M23 has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, encircling the eastern city of Goma, which has around 2 million people and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.
The United Nations said that it would temporarily relocate nonessential staff from Goma, such as administrative staff.
"Essential personnel remain on the ground, sustaining critical operations such as food distribution, medical assistance, shelter, and protection for vulnerable communities," the UN statement read.
The African Union on Saturday urged the "immediate cessation" of the deadly fighting in eastern Democratic Republic Congo.
The African Union Commission's chair Moussa Faki Mahamat called for "the immediate cessation of all hostilities" and "strongly urges the parties to preserve the lives of civilians", the body said in a statement.
The M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, along the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
On Thursday, M23 took control of the town of Sake, which is only 27 kilometers (16 miles) west of Goma and one of the last main routes into the provincial capital still under government control, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
South Africa’s second-biggest party, Democratic Alliance, and a trade union for members of the armed forces said Saturday that three South African peacekeepers were killed during the clashes with M23 in Sake.
"In addition, at least 18 South African National Defense Forces soldiers were wounded in the ongoing battles with M23 rebels in their new offensive which coincided with the inauguration of US President Donald Trump," the statement from the Democratic alliance read.
The US has previously played a key role in attempting to protect civilians in eastern Congo, making several high-level statements and visits, said Kate Hixon, advocacy director for Africa at Amnesty International USA.
"The Rwandan-backed M23 is clearly exploiting the presidential transition in the US to advance on Goma — putting thousands more civilians at risk," Hixon told The Associated Press.
South Africa’s defense minister, Angie Motshekga, was visiting the country’s troops stationed in Congo as part of the UN peacekeeping mission on the day the soldiers were killed.
Congo, the United States and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago.
Rwanda’s government denies the claim, but last year acknowledged that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. UN experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
Last year, two South African soldiers were killed by a mortar round explosion in eastern Congo. They were part of a mission by the Southern African Development Community, also known as SADC, which helps Congo’s army to fight against the rebels.
Since 2021, Congo’s government and allied forces, including SADC and UN troops, have been keeping M23 away from Goma.
The UN peacekeeping force, also known as MONUSCO, entered Congo more than two decades ago and has around 14,000 peacekeepers on the ground.
