Two Tanzanian soldiers killed in DRC, defence department says
According to the statement, JWTZ has been actively involved in various international missions, including those in Lebanon, Sudan, Central African Republic, and Liberia. The latest deployment in the
The Tanzania People's Defence Forces (JWTZ) have confirmed the loss of two soldiers and injuries to four others following ongoing clashes between the Congolese military and M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement released by the Tanzanian military headquarters, the clashes took place between January 24 and 28, 2025, as part of peacekeeping efforts under the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
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The injured soldiers are currently receiving medical treatment in Goma.
According to the statement, JWTZ has been actively involved in various international missions, including those in Lebanon, Sudan, Central African Republic, and Liberia. The latest deployment in the
DRC is part of the SADC's broader mission to stabilise the region, particularly in light of escalating tensions in the eastern part of the country.
Efforts are underway to repatriate the bodies of the fallen soldiers for burial in Tanzania. "May the Almighty grant healing to the wounded and eternal peace to the departed," the statement read.
The defence department said that, despite the loss, Tanzanian forces will continue their peacekeeping duties in the DRC as per SADC directives. The security situation in eastern DRC remains tense as regional forces attempt to curb rebel activities and restore stability.
A South African peacekeeper succumbed to injuries in hospital on Saturday, raising the death toll of peacekeepers killed in recent clashes to 18.
The M23 rebels, locked in a long-running conflict with Congolese forces, are accused of seeking control over the region’s natural resources. The group launched a major offensive last week and later claimed to have seized the city of Goma.
M23 asserts that it is defending the rights of minority Congolese Tutsis, who allege discrimination due to their ethnic ties to Rwanda’s Tutsi community.
The UN has issued urgent calls to halt the violence, which has left at least 700 people dead and 2,800 injured in under a week.
The offensive has also exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, triggering severe shortages of food and water and forcing mass displacement, according to the UN and local officials.
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