- According to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), three Tanzanian soldiers were killed in a mortar attack in conflict-ridden eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). BBC News (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- The soldiers, part of the SADC's peacekeeping mission (SAMIDRC) to support the DRC's government troops fighting the M23 rebels, died after a "hostile mortar round" hit "near the camp they were staying at." Dw.Com
- Another three Tanzanians were injured in the attack and a South African soldier died while being treated for health problems at a hospital in Goma, the capital of the eastern province of North Kivu. defenceWeb
- The peacekeeping mission suffered its first casualties in February, when two South African soldiers were reportedly killed by mortar shells hitting the Mubambiro camp close to the town of Sake, in the Goma region. Voice of America
- SAMIDRC forces were deployed in Dec. 2023 with a mandate to support the DRC government in "collective self-defence" amid instability and a deteriorating security situation caused by resurgent armed groups in eastern DRC. The Chanzo
- According to the UN, security continues to deteriorate as M23 rebels are advancing in the country's east. While the DRC, the UN, and some Western countries accuse Rwanda of backing the rebel group, Kigali denies any involvement. The Citizen
Narrative A:
- The growing number of fatalities in this conflict is a grim reminder of Rwanda's illegal presence in the region. In a bid to control the DRC's vast mineral resources, Rwandan President Paul Kagame is pulling the strings by supporting the M23, increasing the risk of a full-scale regional conflict. This situation already ranks as one of the world's most complex humanitarian disasters, which is why Kagame's forces must be removed from the country immediately.
AFRICANEWS
Narrative B:
- The global narrative surrounding this conflict ignores the basic failed governance by the DRC. By accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23, Kinshasa is manipulating the international community and distracting attention from its own failure. Besides the M23, some 250 other armed groups are active in the region, with the DRC backing the group responsible for the 1994 genocide and threatening to invade Rwanda. The conflict can only be resolved if Kinshasa is forced to take responsibility.
THE NEW TIMES
Nerd narrative:
- There is a 60% chance, that the DRC will experience a civil war before 2036, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)