One of missing Malawi soldiers in DRC found alive, back in camp
After the death of six Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) four were still missing but the military has confirmed that one of them, Corporal George Salim is now back in camp receiving treatment from injuries sustained.
MDF spokesperson Major Paul Chiphwanya confirmed the return of Salimu but says investigations are still under way to establish what exactly happened to both the fallen soldiers and those still missing.
With Corporal George Salim now found, the three who are still missing are Lance Corporal Gift Nkhoma, Sergeant Boniface Nowa and Staff Sergeant Chancy Mwakawenga.
Making a ministerial statement in Parliament on Friday, deputy minister of Defence Amos Mailosi disclosed that eight more soldiers are hospitalised after they suffered injuries in an attack in the war-torn country.
The injured, who have been hospitalised at Entebbe in Uganda, include Sergeant Dan Chilenje, Corporal Malijani Selo, Lance Corporal Mautanga, Private Anthony Mwamadi, Private Moses Mdala and Private Damson Nkhoma.
The news comes at a time the nation is grief-stricken following the death of six soldiers whose bodies arrived in the country on Wednesday this week.
As the Malawi nation continues to mourn the fallen heroes, flags in all MDF premises throughout the country are flying at half mast and Malawians
The deputy minister informed the House that the six soldiers died in an operation known as Usalama South on November 14 aimed at clearing known Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) bases—a rebel group that fights the government of Uganda, but has its bases in eastern DRC.
He said: “The Malawi battalion was advancing towards Kasinga tactical operating base, an illegal armed group base and the ADF base was at a distance of approximately 6.8 kilometres. The troops advanced without much resistance up to Ididiwe, which was originally a base for Fardc, a government force there.
“The following day, on November 14 2018, the troops to the IAG position, however, before reaching the position they came under contact, exchanged fire and started breaking contact up to Ididiwe. ADF pursued our troops up to Ididiwe and there was heavy exchange of fire. It is at this point and position that we lost four soldiers and 10 were wounded.”
The MDF soldiers are part of an 850-strong MDF contingent serving as United Nations peace keeping mission under the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB).
Under the FIB, the Malawi troops are operating along other peacekeepers from Tanzania and South Africa.
They are charged with the mission to neutralise armed groups in DRCs North Kivu.
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CPL George Salim, wishing you a very quick recovery. You are tenacious. You are strong. MDF is composed of such characters. No wonder UN came knocking on MDF doors for assistance.
Nsima too much Malawians. Simungamenye nkhondo. Too weak
Then the British Army would not have requested for a hand from men from Nyasaland to fight on their side in Abyssinia, Nyangao, East Africa and Burma campaigns during First and Second World Wars. They are not weak as you put it.
Uwu ndiye mwano. Ngati palibe zokamba, just shut up your stinking mouth
Agree send soldiers to DRC based on experience in Army not for money we will lose our beloved soldiers. We love our soldiers because of esteem discipline so don’t abuse them with Money at UN Peace keeping mission. We also need to hear soon a report of what really happened that led to kill our six soldiers and now three missing so this does not happen again. It is the first of this kind to lose such a number soldiers from Malawi defense force. The nation is waiting to hear from General Spoon Phiri.
You were advancing and then started tactical withdrawal. Now, does it mean the rebels were more superior tacticaly than us? What weapons were we using? being chased by rebels seems something is wrong. Were the rebels better armed than UN troops? Tanenani bwinobwino. Why advance in the first place and then kuyamba kuthawa? Tactical withdrawal means kuthawa backwards. I need a proper explaination on this one.
May be they had run out of ammunition or there was no back up teams. However, MDF should operate separately and not be under the directions of a commandant from another country. It is likely that the huge loss was due to that arrangement. That is the suspicion.
Koma mtunda wa 6.8km mpaka kuyenda 2 days, zinachitika bwanji pamenepa,
That is very possible in a battle field
Moti iwe sukumva kuti anavulala, komanso kunali kuyenda mobisala………………………………..! Nde munthu ovulala komanso oyenda mobisala umafuna angoathamanga mumseu? Awanso, wayesa za phadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Wishing him a quick recovery. Hope they all come home safe
The armed group pursued our soldiers…..were our soldiers running away when we lost six of them, 10 got injured, 4 (now 3) missed. If this is the case, there is total war in DRC. Our alleged peace keepers are fighting a bush war with a ragtag bunch of guerillas. There is no peace to keep. The nation needs to be told the truth of what is happening to our beloved soldiers. When our soldiers killed each other with MYP in Nayuchi, the then MCP regime never announced it to the nation. We should not slide back to those dark days of Chakwera and Mia’s party.
You are so brave my brother. Tell me how you survived? Quick recoveries. Big up my bro
Mmmm
Mautanga mwana wa General Mautanga. Eishh!
Mbuyanga yo abambo ache anali General in the army. Too much nepotism!!!!
Iwe umati mwana asagwire ntchito
Iwe khala phee ku army unalowa mwa dilu ko. Akutumidze ku DRC akakulidze nacho chipolopolo uwone polekera!
Atamandike Wakumwamba mlamu. Jesus loves us too much. We thank Him for hearing and positively responding to our prayers. May the hand of Almighty God heal you in the quickest of time. Looking forwad to the day you will be back home.
Equip our soldiers with latest weapons please otherwise mutithetsela ana. Secondly stop sending soldiers to Drc for money but only those experienced . Enawo they bribe their way to get selected just because of money .
Praise God
Nyasatimes fire this reporter please. Has repeated 2 paragraphs and check what he/she has written below the picture of this wounded Soldier
Yayi tavisuska. Wana wakeithu
Wafwira mbembe yawene
Why does the MDF tell the public names of those missing whilst the investigations are in going? It’s not fair to their family members and the security of those missing. You are shooting yourselves in the foot MDF. Time to rethink how you conduct yourselves.
Chonde. Tikufela zaeni. Pull out our troops .The war in DRC will only end with a political solution and those countries funding the Rebels to stop.
Koma APM. Akupanga makani then expect more lose of our Men after all the soldiers from Tanzania are paid more than ours.
WHAT BENEFITS IS THAT WAR
TO OUR NATION (CHILDREN )
PLEASE BRING BACK OUR SOLDIERS ALIVE !! THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS !!
Eh koma akutikwapulatu ku DRC 😂😂😂. Kodi mesa aMalawi timatha khini? Mfuti siimaona khini, man!
Please stop announcing names of those missing. It hurts and it is not ethical at all.
I don’t know what is wrong with MDF. You are giving out too much sensitive information. I am not a military person but I think he public are not entitled to some information that you give out. There’s that issue of men missing in action, number of the injured and details of what exactly happened. This undermines your own security. The most serious info l saw was the part of the shoot out and the personnel vehicle that was burning, the deaf being attended to, some soldiers crying over their lost friends. Who posted this and made it viral? That plays into the hands of your enemies. Tell me, am I making sense here?
When the British Army and the USA Army were battling the Talibans in Afghanistan, they followed a similar line of reporting about their casualties and their operations. However, they closely guarded any information that had to with the actual theatre of operations where fighting was going on. Very likely that MDF has taken a similar stand. As for the crying, burning vehicle … very similar to what happened to soldiers in Vietnam War or Korean War? Any way, who does not cry?