People carry their belongings as they flee the fightings between the M23 rebels and the Armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), in Munigi, North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, 26 January 2025. Nine South African soldiers as well as three Malawians and a Uruguayan soldier serving with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO, been killed in clashes with rebels from the M23 group over the past days. EPA-EFE/MICHEL LUNANGA 
South African troops are in Congo as part of U.N. and Southern African missions.
The Department of Defence said in a statement that on Monday M23 rebels had launched mortar bombs in the direction of Goma airport in eastern Congo, resulting in three SANDF (South African National Defence Force) soldiers being killed.
Another soldier injured in combat with M23 rebels over the past three days died from their injuries, it added.
Earlier the government said nine South African peacekeepers had been killed.
The defence department said on Tuesday that the SANDF remained committed to its peacekeeping duties in Congo under the U.N.-mandated MONUSCO and Southern African Development Community (SADC) missions.
(Reporting by Bhargav AcharyaEditing by Alexander Winning)