The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) which began withdrawing from its positions in eastern DR Congo on Sunday, December 3, has indicated that it will hand over to troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The regional force started pulling out of eastern DR Congo just over a year after it was deployed, in November 2022, to support regional efforts aimed at helping restore peace and stability in the eastern part of the country.
The regional force's exit comes following disagreements with the Congolese government on the implementation of its mandate. The SADC approved a military deployment to eastern DR Congo in May. Its troops are expected to deploy before end of December.
"EACRF will be handing over security responsibilities in Eastern DRC to SADC forces," the regional force said in a post on X, on Sunday.
The regional force said "elaborate plans" were in place "to ensure a smooth handover to the designated force that will enable continuity of the peace efforts in the region."
1. The East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) has started to exit troops from Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The first group of the Kenyan Contingent (KENCON) troops left Goma International Airport today, Sunday, 3rd December 2023, after one year of deployment pic.twitter.com/6RhSRwRS4T-- EACRF DRC (@eacrf_DRC) December 3, 2023
Close to 300 Kenyan soldiers arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi, on Sunday, the EACRF said, adding that the withdrawal will be "phased gradually beginning with non-critical units."
It said that in the coming days the back loading of equipment and troop movement will progress by road and air for the EACRF troops, respectively.
The deployment of the EACRF was authorized by the EAC Ordinary Summit held in Arusha, Tanzania, in July 2022. Subsequently, the regional force was deployed in November 2022 to support peace efforts and especially observe the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group, which battled the Congolese army and its allies in North Kivu Province.
The regional force, headed by Kenyan commander Maj Gen Aphaxard Kiugu, has troops from Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan. It had occupied positions vacated by M23 to allow for a negotiated peace process.
Lately, the M23 has announced it will reoccupy the positions, as fighting with the government coalition continues in North Kivu.
The Regional Force constituted as an East African Community Force, derived its mandate from Chapter 23 of the EAC Treaty and the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security, but it has had a hard time in eastern DR Congo, since its deployment.
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Its first force commander Maj Gen Jeff Nyagah resigned, in April, citing threats to his security.
Kinshasa wanted the regional force to fight the M23, which was not part of the latter's operational mandate.
The Congolese government refused to renew the regional force's mandate, which expires on December 8.
The Kenyan contingent was the first to withdraw its troops, following the visit to eastern DR Congo by Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces Gen Francis Ogolla. The latter was quoted as saying that the regional force had done "an excellent job in protecting civilians" in their area of operations.
"I am happy that [Kenyan] troops have undertaken the given EACRF mandate with great responsibility," he said, adding the Kenyan army is "satisfied to have delivered our role professionally with minimal collateral."
