A South African soldier serving in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo lost his life on Monday due to a hand grenade explosion near his sleeping quarters, as reported by South Africa’s military.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) stated late on Tuesday that the cause of the hand grenade explosion in Beni, which resulted in the death of a UN peacekeeper, remains unclear.
They announced that a joint board of inquiry with UN officials will investigate the incident.
The presence of South African soldiers in Congo includes participation in the UN mission MONUSCO and a separate deployment under the Southern African regional bloc SADC, aimed at supporting the government in its efforts against rebel groups.
Since February, at least seven South African soldiers have died in Congo, including the latest casualty.
Last month, two soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on an SANDF base in Sake, eastern Congo, and another soldier lost his life in a skirmish with Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in May.
In addition, one soldier succumbed to medical complications in April following treatment for unspecified health issues, while two others perished in a mortar attack back in February.
When the February deaths occurred, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to opposition criticism regarding the troops in Congo being under-equipped.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Congo is withdrawing in phases.
The initial phase was completed last month, but there is currently no set timeline for the next stage due to increasing clashes in the turbulent eastern region.
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