FILE PHOTO: Members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) stand guard against the M23 rebel group in Lubero, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Djaffar Al Katanty/File Photo/File Photo
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -The Southern African Development Community (SADC) said on Thursday that a summit of regional heads of state had terminated the mandate of its troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo and decided on a "phased withdrawal".
"Summit terminated the Mandate of SAMIDRC and directed the commencement of a phased withdrawal of SAMIDRC troops from the DRC," the Southern African bloc said in a communique after the summit.
A document seen by Reuters in February said the status of the bloc's mission to Congo needed to be discussed with parties to the conflict.
The 16-member SADC deployed its mission in Congo in December 2023 to help the Congolese army fight rebel groups. It extended its mandate late last year but the mission has suffered losses in 2025.
(Reporting by Tannur Anders and Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Alexander Winning)
