Transport of Remains of 18 SAMIDRC Soldiers to Uganda for Autopsy
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Synopsis
The remains of 18 SAMIDRC soldiers killed in the DRC conflict have been transported to Uganda for autopsies. The troops, from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania, will be repatriated after processing at Mulago National Referral Hospital. Their evacuation was necessary due to the damage at Goma Regional Airport.
Key Takeaways
- Transport of 18 soldiers’ remains to Uganda for autopsy.
- Part of the SAMIDRC mission in DRC.
- Processing at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
- Repatriation planned for South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania.
- Evacuation issues due to damaged Goma Regional Airport.
Kampala, Feb 9 (NationPress) The remains of 18 soldiers from various African nations, who lost their lives in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have been transported to Uganda for post-mortem examinations, an official confirmed.
The deceased soldiers, part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), were conveyed overland and taken to the Mulago National Referral Hospital mortuary in Kampala for autopsy, according to Henry Okello Oryem, Uganda's minister of state for foreign affairs responsible for international cooperation, in a telephone interview with Xinhua.
Oryem stated that the remains of 13 South Africans, three Malawians, and two Tanzanians will undergo processing before being repatriated to their respective nations, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
"The bodies of the fallen soldiers from various countries that were brought to Uganda will be processed through our health system, with assistance from the United Nations Regional Service Center in Entebbe," Oryem explained.
"Following processing, the remains will be dispatched to their respective countries," he added.
The evacuation of the deceased soldiers directly from the DRC to their home countries was hindered by damage to Goma Regional Airport, necessitating arrangements for overland transport to Uganda, where the bodies will subsequently be flown back home via Entebbe International Airport, located approximately 40 km from the capital, Kampala.
The fallen troops were part of SAMIDRC, tasked with supporting and assisting the DRC in its efforts to restore peace, security, and stability.
The soldiers were killed late last month amid the escalation of hostilities and the capture of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu in eastern DRC, by the March 23 Movement rebels.
