SA troops to leave Burundi
Thursday, 30 July 2009
South Africa will start withdrawing its troops from Burundi on August 8 after an eight-year peacekeeping mission, the government said on Thursday.
Cabinet said in a statement the withdrawal, which would be completed in September, was a "proud moment" for South Africa in helping resolve a long-running conflict in the central African state.
Pretoria deployed 700 soldiers in Burundi in 2001, mainly to protect Hutu leaders returning to the country after a 15-year-civil war to take part in a transitional government.
The formation of the government flowed from the 2000 Arusha peace accord which was signed by 19 Burundian parties and brokered by former South African president Nelson Mandela.
South Africa will start withdrawing its troops from Burundi on August 8 after an eight-year peacekeeping mission, the government said on Thursday.
Cabinet said in a statement the withdrawal, which would be completed in September, was a "proud moment" for South Africa in helping resolve a long-running conflict in the central African state.
Pretoria deployed 700 soldiers in Burundi in 2001, mainly to protect Hutu leaders returning to the country after a 15-year-civil war to take part in a transitional government.
The formation of the government flowed from the 2000 Arusha peace accord which was signed by 19 Burundian parties and brokered by former South African president Nelson Mandela.