A South African soldier deployed as part of a UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was killed on Monday. A hand grenade detonated near his sleeping quarters in Beni, according to a statement released by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on Tuesday.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion. A board of inquiry comprised of both SANDF and UN officials will be involved.
This latest incident marks the eighth fatality among South African soldiers in the DRC since February. Two soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on their base in Sake last month, another died fighting M23 rebels backed by Rwanda in May. The remaining deaths included one soldier who died from unspecified health issues and two killed in a separate mortar attack in February.
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the deployment and equipment of South African troops in the DRC, responding to criticism from opposition parties.
The UN peacekeeping mission, known as MONUSCO, is gradually withdrawing from the DRC. The first phase of the withdrawal concluded last month, but ongoing clashes in the eastern region have stalled the announcement of a timeline for the next phase.
