Tanzania mourns three soldiers killed in DR Congo

 Ally Mayala

TANZANIA: MINISTER for Defence and National Service, Dr Stergomena Tax on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sent condolences to the Chief of Defence Force Jacob Mkunda following the deaths of three Tanzanian soldiers who were deployed in the...

Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) peacekeeping force.

According to the ministry, the three soldiers were killed and three others injured after a hostile mortar round fell near their camp.

“Tanzania has lost its heroes during the mission to restore peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), We pray for our heroes, May God rest their souls in eternal peace and offer speedy recovery to the wounded,” Dr Tax said.

She said the country’s heroes will be laid to rest by following all the army’s protocols. In another development, she commended the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) for its tireless operations to safeguard peace within and beyond the country’s borders in accordance with regional and international agreements and protocols to which Tanzania is a member.

She extended her condolence to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF), General Jacob Mkunda, relatives, friends and families of the departed.

Earlier on Monday this week, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a statement informed that the demise of the three soldiers and the three injured were all from Tanzania.

“This unfortunate incident happened after hostile mortar round fell near their camp,” read the SADC statement.

SADC also informed on the passing on of a South African Soldier who died while receiving treatment due to health challenges in a hospital in Goma, DRC.

According to SADC, the soldiers were deployed under the auspices of SADC as part of a regional response to address the unstable and deteriorating security situation prevailing in the Eastern DRC.

“The SADC family expresses its heartfelt condolences to the beloved family and the government of the Republic of South Africa and United Republic of Tanzania on the irreplaceable loss of the deceased soldiers” SADC said in the statement.