Zimbabwean troops began leaving the DRC on Tuesday in line with the provisions of the Lusaka accord, news organisations reported. The withdrawal of some 200 soldiers is the first total pullout of Zimbabweans since they entered the war on the Kinshasa government’s side three years ago. This first group flew out of Mbandaka in Equateur province, and a further 2,000 are due to follow over the next few days. There are a reported 10,000 Zimbabwean soldiers in the DRC. At the departure ceremony in Mbandaka, the Angolan deputy commander of the allied forces (DRC, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola), Fipe Viper, said the Zimbabweans were the first battalion to leave Congo “after successfully discharging” their duty. “The enemy’s failure to remove the DRC government is a result of you and your compatriots’ commitment and sacrifice,” he added.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article