The Southern African Development Community has begun withdrawing its special forces from the Congo.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) issued a statement on the 1st saying that the SADC special envoy troops in the Congo began withdrawing on April 29th. The statement said that the withdrawal will be conducted by land, and the troops will return to their respective countries through Rwanda. SADC reiterates its commitment to maintaining regional peace and security, and will continue to support the resolution of the conflict in eastern Congo through diplomatic and political means.