JOHANNESBURG, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The South African military announced Wednesday that two of its soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in a mortar attack in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Tuesday.
"The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) confirms the mortar attack on one of our bases in Sake in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on 25 June 2024, which resulted in two fatalities and twenty injured," the SANDF said in a statement.
"Four members who were critically injured have been hospitalized, whilst the rest who suffered minor injuries are expected to be discharged soon," it said. The families of the deceased soldiers have been notified, and preparations to repatriate their remains are underway. The names of the deceased will be released in due course.
South African troops are deployed in the DRC as part of a Southern African Development Community force assisting the government in combating rebel forces.
SANDF Spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said he could not provide the total number of South African soldiers who have died in the DRC since the start of 2024. However, he noted that several attacks have occurred, including one in February that claimed two lives and another on May 30, which resulted in the death of one SANDF member. ■
