S. Africa sends more military equipment to DRC at UN request: SANDF

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S. Africa sends more military equipment to DRC at UN request: SANDF

(Xinhua) 09:09, September 05, 2013

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CAPE TOWN, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is deploying more military equipment to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at a UN request, it was announced on Wednesday.

"We are aware of that request as the SANDF as well as the processes that are currently underway in terms of making that equipment available to the UN," SANDF spokesperson Xolani Mabanga said.

The UN has requested South Africa to dispatch Rooivalk attack helicopters to the DRC to strengthen the UN-led peace mission there. The peacekeeping troops are helping the DRC government forces in the fight to dislodge M23 rebels from strategic positions in the eastern province of North Kivu.

The request is being handled by the South African government and the UN, Mabanga said.

The dispatch of additional equipment came after fighting in the DRC flared up, during which three South African soldiers sustained minor injuries.

Mabanga confirmed that South African forces have engaged the rebels, but did not give further details.

The South African soldiers numbering more than 1,300 are participating in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) as part of the Force Intervention Brigade mandated by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2098.

The deployment runs from June 13, 2013 to March 31, 2014.

Besides South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi have also committed to contributing troops to the brigade, whose mission is to engage with rebels in the troubled DRC region.

（Editor：YanMeng、Yao Chun）