SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. General Lul Ruai Koang speaks on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. June 9, 2023. | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio

South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) Spokesperson said on Monday the troops that the country contributed to the regional peacekeeping mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo will soon jet back to the country.

Major General Lul Ruai Koang confirmed that the withdrawal comes as the host country did not renew the mandate of the regional force sent to the volatile region to liberate territories taken by rebel groups.

General Lul said the force withdrawal has already commenced in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, and will finish the process by the end of December.

“The regional forces are withdrawing from Congo and SSPDF will also withdraw its forces from Congo,” Lul told Eye Radio.

“I was reliably informed that the mandate was not renewed by the host country and as a result, the regional peacekeepers have to start withdrawing.”

However, the details of the withdrawal plan remain undisclosed.

The regional bloc first deployed troops in the violence-plagued region in November last year after the resurgence of the M23 rebel group.

This comes after DRC authorities called for military help to liberate the areas taken by the rebels.

But the future of the deployment was thrown into doubt after DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi accused the force of cohabiting with the rebels rather than forcing them to lay down arms.

Following a summit on 25 November, the EAC announced that the DRC “would not renew the mandate of the regional force beyond 8 December 2023”.

At the same time, DRC signed an agreement on the status of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force that will replace the departing EAC Regional Force.