Authorities said nine South African peacekeepers and three Malawian peacekeepers were killed by M23 insurgents.

At least 12 peacekeepers have been killed in fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including two from the U.N. peacekeeping force MONUSCO, authorities said.

Congolese troops and peacekeepers have been working in recent days to prevent progress M23 rebels launched an attack in the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

The three-year-old M23 rebellion in Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich east intensified in January, with rebels taking control of more territory, prompting the United Nations to warn of the possibility of a wider regional war.

Nine South African soldiers have been killed in clashes with M23 rebels as of Friday, the South African Armed Forces said in a statement on Saturday.

Two South Africans deployed on a UN peacekeeping mission and seven other South Africans from the Southern African Regional Group forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo were killed in two days of heavy fighting, the report said.

“Members fought bravely to prevent the rebels from advancing to Goma as they intended,” the statement said, adding that the M23 movement had been repelled.

A U.N. official confirmed the deaths of the two U.N. soldiers in an interview with The Associated Press.

An unnamed U.N. official told the agency the peacekeepers were killed on Friday.

A Malawian military spokesman confirmed that three peacekeepers deployed on a Southern African Development Community mission were killed fighting M23 rebels.

Spokesperson Emmanuel Mlelemba said of the SADC SAMIDRC mission: “We confirm the deaths of three brave soldiers who were part of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “

“These soldiers died in the line of duty during an encounter with the M23 rebel group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As the situation remains unstable, further details will be announced later,” he added.

M23, the March 23 Movement, is an armed group composed of Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than 10 years ago. Since its resurgence in 2022, the M23 movement has continued to make gains in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Democratic Republic of the Congo and United Nations Accused Rwanda of using troops and weapons to support the “M23” movement – Rwanda denies this.

United Nations to relocate some staff

The M23 movement has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, laying siege to the eastern city of Goma, home to about 2 million people and a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.

The United Nations said it would temporarily relocate non-essential staff, such as administrative staff, from Goma.

“Essential personnel remain on site to maintain critical operations such as food distribution, medical assistance, shelter and the protection of vulnerable communities,” the U.N. statement said.

The M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been fighting for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Rwanda, in a decades-long conflict that has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis one.

Since 1998, approximately 6 million people have been killed and approximately 7 million have been internally displaced.

More than 237,000 people have been displaced by fighting in eastern Congo since the start of the year, the UN refugee agency said in a report on Monday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the M23 movement on Thursday took control of the town of Sake, just 27 kilometers (16 miles) west of Goma and one of the last main government-controlled routes into the provincial capital. one.