₦airaland Forum

Etion Create’s CheetahNAV Compact makes IDEX 2025 debut

Pretoria-based electronics company Etion Create’s new CheetahNAV Compact vehicle navigation system is making its debut at the IDEX 2025 exhibition in the United Arab Emirates this week. It is the latest derivative of the proven and successful CheetahNAV that has been introduced and delivered to several Middle East customers in the past two years.

“The Middle East has become a focus area for Etion Create and since we showed the CheetahNAV in Abu Dhabi some years ago, interest in our products has grown in many regions around the world,” said Tobie van Loggerenberg, executive manager for business development at Etion Create.

Etion Create is a division within Reunert Applied Electronics Holdings.

According to Van Loggerenberg, the latest CheetahNAV Compact was designed for compactness and space-efficiency, ensuring it can be seamlessly integrated into a wide range of vehicle platforms. Despite its reduced size, the display maintains excellent readability and clarity, thanks to advanced display technologies, the company said.

Besides route planning functionality, the CheetahNAV Compact utilises real-time moving map technology that provides the driver and crew members continuously with accurate situational awareness information.

Like Etion Create’s CheetahNAV, the system provides dead-reckoning horizontal position accuracy of 0.2% of distance travelled in a GNSS denied situation.

“This translates, by way of example, to accuracy of just 200 metres over a distance of 100 kilometres,” Van Loggerenberg explained. “It can integrate with any number of different inertial navigation systems and can be aligned with any of the satellite navigation constellations.”

The CheetahNAV Compact makes use of an advanced Inertial Navigation System (INS), comprising several aids, to provide accurate position, velocity, heading, and pitch and roll of the platform. The tactical grade integral inertial measurement unit (IMU) ensures jamming-free operation.

According to Etion Create both the CheetahNAV and its compact variant are made for tough operational conditions, having been designed and tested to withstand severe customer environments.

“For the benefit of our customers, we provide different language packs, as in this instance Arabic for the Middle East,” Van Loggerenberg affirmed. “Importantly, our customer can rest assured that Etion Create products are non-ITAR controlled.”
https://www.defenceweb.co.za/land/land-land/etion-creates-cheetahnav-compact-makes-idex-2025-debut/

Lurker4Long:
Centauri and Mersad team up to bring down the drone threat

Recent conflicts, notably in the Ukraine, have shown the increasing use of attack drones that are posing a serious threat to military forces and their equipment.

South African defence company Centauri has partnered with UAE-based Mersad Technologies to display an innovative solution at IDEX 2025 this week.

The Centauri TriAD system was developed in South Africa to be integrated on armoured vehicles, naval vessels or in static positions where it can protect airfields, military bases and key installations. Being compact and light weight, it can fit even on light vehicles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WOOiLcFpjA&t=34s

Centauri and Mersad team up to bring down the drone threat

Recent conflicts, notably in the Ukraine, have shown the increasing use of attack drones that are posing a serious threat to military forces and their equipment.

South African defence company Centauri has partnered with UAE-based Mersad Technologies to display an innovative solution at IDEX 2025 this week.

The Centauri TriAD system was developed in South Africa to be integrated on armoured vehicles, naval vessels or in static positions where it can protect airfields, military bases and key installations. Being compact and light weight, it can fit even on light vehicles.

According to Dr Nahyan Al Mansoori, chairman of Mersad Technologies, the Centauri TriAD drone protection system is both very effective and arguably one of the most cost-effective available.

“Many other anti-drone systems on the market are prohibitively expensive, but defence forces are left with very little choice,” he said. “I’m confident the Centauri system is the best comprehensive option to consider, especially as it will significantly decrease the cost to take down drones.”

Gert Rossouw, Centauri chief executive officer, explained that the Centauri TriAD system makes use of kinetic and sensor-based technologies to detect, track, and neutralise incoming drones with high accuracy and efficiency.

“The system uses radio frequency identification (RF-ID) and radar to detect incoming drones from a distance,” he said. “Optical sensors then visually confirm and track the drone’s movement, followed by an assessment of the threat level. Depending on the range and the tactical scenario, the target is then engaged and eliminated.”

The Centauri TriAD system is based on the company’s proven CRx-30 ROWS (remotely operated weapon station) that fires 30 x 113 mm programmable air-burst ammunition.

“Broadly speaking, the TriAD operator starts firing at an incoming attack drone – or drone swarm – when the tracking system determines a high take-down probability of, say 80%,” Rossouw explained. “As the weapon fires the programmable 30 x 113 mm ammunition in short bursts at the very high rate of 30 rounds per second, it creates a web of steel at successive intervals ahead of the approaching drone, thereby destroying it.”

The TriAD’s effective range starts at 2 000 metres, but a higher kill rate is achieved at closer range.

In addition to the main weapon three Centauri MB6-40 multi-barrel grenade launcher systems provide a further layer of protection. This complementary weapon suite launches volleys of 40 x 51 mm medium-velocity (MV) grenades for a close-in protective virtual dome above the weapon station.

The MV ammunition has an effective range of 900 m, but it offers protection as close as 50 m against the enemy drone attack.

“Mersad Technologies has partnered with Centauri for their extensive experience in the conceptualising, design and development of military products for the international defence industry,” Al Mansoori stated. “Besides a full range of mechanical and electronic design services, Centauri specialises in weapon and turret systems, all of which complements our own offerings.”

At IDEX this week, Mersad Technologies is also displaying a range of other weapon systems and related equipment.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/centauri-and-mersad-team-up-to-bring-down-the-drone-threat/

Odunayaw:
What we like

Vawulence!

Hensoldt showcases new GMJ9500 man-portable RCIED jammer at IDEX

Hensoldt is showcasing the latest addition to its man-portable radio-controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIED) jammer family, the GMJ9500, at the IDEX 2025 exhibition underway in Abu Dhabi this week.

Designed to provide mission-critical protection against radio-controlled improvised explosive devices, the GMJ9500 series delivers a lightweight, modular and highly adaptable solution for military and security forces operating in high-threat environments, Hensoldt said in a statement.

The GMJ9500 family offers jamming technology for three primary applications: protecting infantry squads during patrols, enhancing safety in de-mining and counter-IED operations and safeguarding EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) and bomb squad technicians against RCIED threats.

With a 20 MHz – 6000 MHz frequency range, the system employs advanced jamming algorithms to neutralise RCIED threats effectively, Hensoldt added. The modular design allows operators to configure jammers based on specific mission requirements, offering flexibility across multiple operational scenarios.

The GMJ9500 jamming system features a modular configuration, and can be tailored for optimal performance against varying threat landscapes: software-defined technology enables the integration of new jamming waveforms as threats evolve, ensuring long-term adaptability. Additionally, the system effectively jams drone-controller frequencies, enhancing operational security against unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) threats.

The GMJ Mission Software enables precise programming of attack frequencies and blocked bands while ensuring seamless integration with own-force communications, Hensoldt said. The software automatically calculates jamming waveforms and generates mission files for rapid deployment, enhancing operational efficiency and effectiveness.

The GEW business unit of Hensoldt South Africa specialises in communication monitoring and jamming, direction finding, electronic countermeasures/warfare, electromagnetic spectrum management and security systems. Since the 1960s the company has been involved in providing electronic support, electronic attack and electronic warfare solutions. Its signal intelligence and spectrum monitoring systems have been sold and are in operation in more than 30 countries worldwide, including with the South African Air Force, Army and Navy, and the spectrum regulatory body, ICASA.

The company’s jamming systems are used to protect fixed targets, convoys, individual vehicles and foot patrols (manpack system) against remotely controlled improvised explosive devices and other threats, such as the roadside bombs.

Hensoldt South Africa is also active in the fields of airspace surveillance, and security systems, particularly perimeter and border fencing systems with integrated alerting systems to localise a breach. Such systems have been successfully used to counter wildlife poaching.

Hensoldt South Africa is increasing its involvement in the radar, data link, identification friend or foe (IFF), customer services and business development fields, amongst many others. Its Radar Business Unit offers 3D radar, synthetic aperture radar, radar for counter-UAV operations and passive radar. One of the biggest radar projects in South Africa in recent years is Hensoldt South Africa’s Quadome dual-mode, three-dimensional (3D), multi-mission radar for air and surface surveillance as well as target acquisition. This has already attracted its first export customer, the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Mapping South Africa’s arms exports: trends, key markets, and regional demand

South Africa’s long struggling defence industry has, in recent years, experienced somewhat of a revival. The National Conventional Arms Control Committee’s (NCACC’s) annual reports have shown that the country’s arms exports have grown yearly since 2020, with the NCACC’s 2023 annual report indicating the near doubling of exports year on year. What is particularly notable is that the industry appears to be showing significant growth in both old and new markets.

Trends in South African Arms Exports

South African defence exports have experienced growth in general: the major sources of growth can largely be ascribed to ammunition exports and to a lesser extent armoured combat vehicles as well as electronic warfare equipment. This is largely in line with global trends, with demand for munition – 155 mm shells in particular – growing significantly since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reporting that global military spending rose to $2 443 billion in 2023, “the highest level ever recorded by SIPRI.”

While the state-owned arms manufacturer Denel appears to have somewhat stabilised, the majority of South Africa’s export growth can be attributed to the private sector with companies such as Paramount Group and Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) expanding their production capabilities to keep up with the growth in international demand. This includes Rheinmetall’s decision to acquire a majority stake in the South African firm Resonant which is a “specialist in plant engineering for chemical applications.” Rheinmetall described this decision as a “response to the growing global demand in the ammunition sector and the resulting customer requirements for the construction of corresponding production facilities.”

Europe Remains a Key Market

Europe has been and remains a primary export destination for South African produced arms is due to a range of factors such as the fact that South African arms conform to NATO standards and the significant increase in European military spending since 2022. According to SIPRI, Central and Western European military spending has increased by some 10 percent between 2022 and 2023 while Eastern European countries have increased spending by approximately 31 precent during the same time period.

This being said, the primary South African export remains various types of ammunition such as Rheinmetall Denel Munitions’ 155 mm Assegai artillery ammunition as well as mortar bombs, with Germany, Estonia and Hungary all placing major orders since 2022.

Notably, in 2023 orders from Hungary and Germany represented some 24 and 26 percent of South Africa’s arms exports with Europe as a whole representing some 56% of South African arms export licences approved in 2023 by the NCACC.

Strong Growth in the African and Emerging Markets

South African defence firms have also increasingly focused their export efforts on the African and other emerging markets to drive their revenue. While neighbouring states such as Mozambique remain regular customers, defence firms such as Paramount Group and DCD Protected Mobility have been experiencing success in exporting to other African states

Unlike the European market, South African exports in Africa have largely been dominated by the export of military vehicles, such as Paramount Maatlas to Ghana, while DCD has experienced particular success through the export of their Springbok range of armoured personnel carriers and Husky mine clearance vehicles, with Côte d’Ivoire in particular placing orders exceeding R500 million recent years.

The most current figures available indicate that Africa represented some 20 percent of South Africa’s defence exports in 2023. Africa has evidently emerged as key source of growth and revenue for the South African defence industry. Other emerging markets in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East represented approximately one quarter of South Africa’s arms exports in 2023.

Middle East Demand Still Strong

While sales to Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia were lower in 2023 when compared to previous years, South African firms continue to export significant amounts of arms to the region. While the Middle East and North Africa represented approximately 8% of South African arms exports in 2023, the region represented well over a quarter of South African arms exports between 2018 and 2022, according to the various annual reports released by the NCACC.

The primary export markets for South African arms in the region remain the UAE and Saudi Arabia with orders totalling just under R5 billion between 2018 and 2023 between the two of them. More recently, Türkiye has emerged as an increasingly prominent importer of South African arms, ordering some R377 million worth of arms in 2023 alone.

Additionally, the Middle East remains a key market for some of South Africa’s more advance weapons systems. These range from artillery systems such as the G6 self-propelled howitzer to imaging and countermeasures equipment. It is important to note that the 2023 decline of exports to the Middle East, proportionally and in real terms, is likely reflective of cyclical pressures as similar year on year declines can be observed over the past decade.

Although the South African defence industry remains a shadow of its former self, recently the industry has, because of a range of factors, begun to see a significant uptick in its fortunes. From renewed European demand to expansion in emerging markets, the industry seems to be healthier than it has been in recent times.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/editors-pick/mapping-south-africas-arms-exports-trends-key-markets-and-regional-demand/

Saab South Africa and HAL sign agreement for manufacture of laser warning systems in India

Coinciding with the Aero India exhibition, Saab and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering local manufacture of Saab’s LWS-310 laser warning system.

The MoU provides for the Transfer of Technology (ToT) “so that HAL will gain the capability to manufacture LWS-310 within India. This includes setting up necessary infrastructure, training programmes and transferring technical expertise from Saab to HAL to ensure long-term support for the system,” Saab said on 13 February.

“This agreement demonstrates Saab’s commitment to providing long-term defence capabilities through strategic collaboration. Our partnership with HAL extends the reach of advanced electronic warfare solutions, not only in India but also in other key markets on HAL platforms,” said Jan Widerström, President and Managing Director at Saab Grintek Defence.

The agreement builds on a strong partnership between Saab in South Africa and HAL that began in 2005 during the development of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) programme.

Saab’s IDAS (Integrated Defensive Aids Suite) has been selected as the electronic warfare (EW) self-protection system for the Indian Air Force and Indian Army Aviation Corps variants of the HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter. Saab Grintek Defence has received multiple contracts over the years for Indian IDAS systems. IDAS warns against radar, laser and infrared (IR) guided threats and automatically deploys appropriate countermeasures. IDAS has been designed for both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Saab also produces protection systems for both land and naval applications.

The LWS-310 laser warning system is a key component of Saab’s self-protection systems for aircraft, land vehicles, and naval vessels. With rapid threat warning and threat classification, LWS-310 enables a combat management system to employ effective countermeasures against laser threats, which further increases situational awareness and self-protection capabilities, Saab said.

The LWS-310 can be incorporated onto land vehicles as part of Saab’s Land Electronic Defence Systems (LEDS), naval vessels as part of its Naval Laser Warning System (NLWS), and aircraft as part of IDAS.

Exnavyboy62:
Don’t bother. That would be Gulf of Nigeria soon enough

Breaking News; Trump and Musk proud as Tinubu plans to make South Africa the 37th state of Nigeria.

Don’t worry about the spellings of the headline,just focus on the news content. Ohhh and by the way, that is Musk’s twin brother holding the mic, he prefers to keep a low profile hence, why no one knows about him

I just spilled my coffee and the entire cafe is looking at me funny!

GreenandGold:
Not technically a gulf, but oh well 😅

We could just retire the name "Indian Ocean" rename it "African Ocean"!

Weak state + abundant mineral riches = a free for all!

Uganda said to deploy 1,000 more soldiers in DRC near M23 conflict
Troops officially in the country to help fight another insurgency, though Uganda has sided with M23 before

Nairobi — Uganda has deployed more than 1,000 additional soldiers in the east of Democratic Republic of Congo in the past week near an area where the Kinshasa government is fighting M23 rebels, four diplomatic and UN sources said, heightening fears of a regional escalation.

Residents said the troops were moving towards the conflict zone.

The Rwanda-backed M23 recently captured regional capital Goma in an anarchic and mineral-rich part of the DRC where wars in 1996-1997 and 1998-2003 drew in outside nations and resulted in the deaths of millions of people, mostly from hunger and disease.

The additional Ugandan deployment north of Goma would raise its numbers there — officially to back DRC President Felix Tshisekedi’s army against another rebel force — to between 4,000 and 5,000 troops, according to UN sources.

Rwanda also has troops operating in eastern DRC.

Uganda has been helping the DRC fight the Islamist Allied Defence Forces (ADF) since 2021, and the new deployment of between 1,000 and 2,000 troops was under that auspice in a push called Operation Shujaa, the sources said.

In a region of complex and often-shifting alliances, UN experts say Uganda has also backed the ethnic Tutsi-led M23, which is the latest in a string of Rwanda-backed rebellions to take up arms in the name of tghe DRC’s Tutsis.

Residents in the town of Butembo said they had seen columns of Ugandan soldiers heading south towards the front line with the M23 since the weekend.

Ugandan army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye denied a major new deployment, saying its forces had changed their “posture to offensive defence”, without giving further details.

DRC communications minister Patrick Muyaya did not respond when asked if more troops had arrived, but stressed the priority of Ugandan soldiers in the area was to fight the ADF, though combat against M23 and Rwandan soldiers was also possible.

“There’s still a lot of suspicion about Uganda, a lot of suspicion about what’s generally happening with the M23,” he said.

Uganda’s ‘surge’

Corneille Nangaa, head of the Alliance Fleuve Congo, an umbrella organisation that includes the M23 fighters, said Uganda provided no support but neither did he expect hostility.

Uganda denies UN reports that it has helped train some M23 fighters and given the group a rear base to move men and arms.

Having seized much of North Kivu province, M23 rebels have been consolidating their hold on Goma and moving on Bukavu, a town about 200km to the south. After meeting resistance from Congolese and Burundian forces, they have said they do not plan to take the city.

Uganda and Rwanda have both entered eastern DRC in the past in the name of protecting their borders but faced accusations of looting natural resources, especially gold.

Zobel Behalal of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime think-tank, said eastern DRC is as important for Uganda’s economy as it is for Rwanda’s, and the country would do what it needed to protect its interests.

“The surge is preparation for this,” he said, referring to Uganda’s efforts to ensure that it managed any spreading conflict so that it continued to benefit from wealth and trade over their shared border.

Uganda has been helping Tshisekedi’s army hunt down the Islamic State-allied ADF which originated in Uganda but has been based in the DRC since the late 1990s. Ground and air attacks have disrupted ADF operations and forced them to flee strongholds.

Adding to concerns over Uganda’s potentially ambiguous position, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the influential son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and head of the military, has been publicly supportive of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his government.

In 2022, he referred to M23 as “brothers of ours” fighting for the rights of Tutsis in the DRC.

Reuters

Faithful007:
I see a star struck girl with lots of makeup, smiling for the camera and trying to get a selfie with the GOAT standing on business. 😂

The relevant pages from the communique issued after today's joint East Africa Community/ SADC heads of state summit.

GreenandGold:
...

No man, are you bored?

Pres Ramaphosa arriving in Tanzania earlier for the joint EAC-SADC summit on the DRC.
Part of the problem with both regional groups:

1_SADC has never forcefully told the DRC govt to talk to M23 as fellow Congolese;
2_the EAC has never once named Rwanda for supporting M23 and looting the DRC.
This enables the belligerents to hide behind the regional groupings whose posture best suits.

The best outcome would combine the best out of the Luanda and Nairobi Processes and compel to DRC to talk to all aggrieved Congolese groups and for Rwanda to wind its neck in about a Greater Rwanda.

Odunayaw:
Return to the gutters where you belong. One would expect sense from an adult but obviously even idiots grow old

AskiaHarem:
Words mean nothing; what actions will he take to stop him?

Don't forget Trump's the one trying to compel us to do certain things. So, in defiance of his bullying:
1) We will continue to have an independent foreign policy, because we are not dependent on his $400 million aid;
2) we will not abandon our case against Israel at the ICJ;
3) we will remain multi-aligned, with membership of both BRICS and the G20; and
4) the final arbiter of the legality of our laws is our Constitutional Court, not the global white supremacist movement spreading misinformation online.

GreenandGold:
As I had stated, if Rwandan/M23 managed to kill a dozen South African troops, then the SA troops took hundreds more on the Rwandan/M23 side....

If we really needed to go to war with them, just a single Division, 6 Gripens and 4 Rooivalks and 3 artillery batteries would send Rwanda into the stone age... I mean, their biggest power station is....within the range of the the G5 from the border.. They should thank their Rwandan gods, Cyril is a calm man and the South Africans are not interested in far away wars.

That's not even the issue for me. It's the bald-faced denial that Rwandan troops invaded the DRC. Kagame must think the rest of the world is as idiotic as his fan-girls!

For all the propaganda in the world, hundreds of fresh graves in military cemeteries are hard to hide from satellites!

Rwandan troops ‘dying in large numbers in DRC’, despite official denials of role

Exclusive: Sources say thousands of RDF killed supporting M23 rebels in eastern Congo, intensifying pressure on Kigali

Hundreds of Rwandan troops have been killed during covert operations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), contradicting claims from Kigali that its soldiers are not involved in the conflict there.

Multiple intelligence, military and diplomatic sources say that “very significant” numbers of soldiers from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) have died supporting an offensive by M23 rebels in DRC.

Satellite imagery of one military cemetery in the Rwandan capital of Kigali indicates at least 600 graves have been dug since the M23 – backed by RDF troops – restarted operations within DRC three years ago.

Two high-ranking intelligence officials with knowledge of the RDF say the true losses sustained by Rwanda probably run into the “thousands”, but pinning down a definitive figure is challenging.

Another senior source says a number of dead Rwandan troops were secretly buried in “mass graves” in DRC when it was impossible to return their bodies across the border.

They say that families were given empty coffins when corpses could not be returned. “Not all soldiers that perished in DRC were able to be repatriated, especially in areas under a lot of fire. Some were buried in mass graves,” they add.

Rwandan casualties are so high that a new wing has been built at Kigali’s military hospital to deal with them. Its mortuary is full, the source says.

Rwanda continues to deny its forces have crossed into DRC. It has repeatedly denied involvement in supporting the M23 rebels and has never acknowledged its troops have died in the conflict.

UN experts, however, say the Rwandan army is in “de facto control” of M23 rebels, who last month seized the city of Goma, capital of DRC’s North Kivu province, and control a swathe of DRC equivalent to almost half the size of Rwanda itself.

Revelations concerning Rwanda’s military death toll will intensify pressure on Kigali to come clean about its role in the conflict before a crisis summit attended by the Rwandan and DRC presidents, Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, respectively, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday.

Diplomatic sources say the true number of Rwandan dead – evidence of sustained frontline involvement – would be acutely damaging for Kagame.

Emmanuel Ngabo, who runs a group in France called ARC Urunana Nyarwanda France (Rwandan Alliance for Change), says he has received numerous indications from grieving parents that large numbers of Rwandans have been killed.

“There are so many bodies needing to be processed. There is such a queue of families waiting [for burial] that they are only allowed 30 minutes at the graveside.”

Ngabo, not his real name, adds: “The coffins are always closed, either because the soldier is so badly injured or burnt he is unrecognisable, or because there is nobody inside the box.

“We hear that privates are often buried where they fall in Congo: officers are brought back for burial in Kanombe [military cemetery in Kigali].”

Satellite images of Kanombe from August 2021 – before the start of the M23 conflict – and another taken on 15 December 2024, before the rebels seized Goma on 27 January, appear to show a dramatic increase in the number of graves there.

Two areas in particular indicate a proliferation of graves since the conflict began. One, in the cemetery’s north, appears to show about 100 new graves, doubling the number in that part of it.

To the south, at least 500 new graves can be seen. A significant number have probably been dug since the image was taken at the end of last year. Cloud cover, however, thwarted attempts to obtain a more recent image of Kanombe.

Last month marked a bloodier phase of the conflict, with a renewed M23 and RDF push seizing the towns of Minova and Sake, as well as Goma. The UN says the battle for Goma left at least 2,900 people dead.

An intelligence source confirms increased RDF deaths. “We have been receiving increasing reports of casualties in military hospitals and burial sites,” they say.

A military source adds that the capability of the DRC army – and effective use of drones and airpower – would have killed many.

“I’m not surprised to see the increase in graves. When you have aircraft dropping bombs on troops, it claims a lot of lives,” they say.

Although thousands of Rwandan troops are also deployed in Mozambique and Central African Republic, sources say RDF fatalities in those states are “barely a handful”.

UN experts estimated in December that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were on the ground in DRC but intelligence sources believe the figure is far higher, with possibly more than 7,000 there.

Rwandan families approached by the Guardian for comment on the conflict would not comment on the loss of their children. However, a Rwandan exiled in Europe said they had spoken to two families in the past week who had lost sons in the fighting.

They said that funerals, arranged by the military, were being conducted far more quickly than normal.

“It happens really fast. Family friends don’t get to see the deceased, as is normal in our culture,” they say, adding that the families were not told how their son died, just that it was “on the battlefield”.

Ngabo, who is exiled in France, adds: “I’ve published so many funeral notices for Rwandan soldiers killed in Congo.”

Grieving families are angry, he says. “Some were called by their sons, who said: ‘We’re leaving for Congo tomorrow, pray for me.’ Others didn’t even know their sons had been sent to fight in Congo when they got the phone call telling them to go to Kanombe to pick up the body.”

Although Rwanda has been tight-lipped about casualties across its western border, Kagame referenced RDF deaths in his recent end-of-year address, promising families that their “sacrifices shall never be in vain”.

A diplomatic source said his comments indicated the casualty rate was becoming a “very real issue”.

The Rwandan government has been contacted for comment.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/07/democratic-republic-congo-drc-paul-kagame-m23-rebels-goma-rwanda-troops-dying-denials

For all the propaganda in the world, hundreds of fresh graves in military cemeteries are hard to hide from satellites!

Rwandan troops ‘dying in large numbers in DRC’, despite official denials of role

Exclusive: Sources say thousands of RDF killed supporting M23 rebels in eastern Congo, intensifying pressure on Kigali

Hundreds of Rwandan troops have been killed during covert operations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), contradicting claims from Kigali that its soldiers are not involved in the conflict there.

Multiple intelligence, military and diplomatic sources say that “very significant” numbers of soldiers from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) have died supporting an offensive by M23 rebels in DRC.

Satellite imagery of one military cemetery in the Rwandan capital of Kigali indicates at least 600 graves have been dug since the M23 – backed by RDF troops – restarted operations within DRC three years ago.

Two high-ranking intelligence officials with knowledge of the RDF say the true losses sustained by Rwanda probably run into the “thousands”, but pinning down a definitive figure is challenging.

Another senior source says a number of dead Rwandan troops were secretly buried in “mass graves” in DRC when it was impossible to return their bodies across the border.

They say that families were given empty coffins when corpses could not be returned. “Not all soldiers that perished in DRC were able to be repatriated, especially in areas under a lot of fire. Some were buried in mass graves,” they add.

Rwandan casualties are so high that a new wing has been built at Kigali’s military hospital to deal with them. Its mortuary is full, the source says.

Rwanda continues to deny its forces have crossed into DRC. It has repeatedly denied involvement in supporting the M23 rebels and has never acknowledged its troops have died in the conflict.

UN experts, however, say the Rwandan army is in “de facto control” of M23 rebels, who last month seized the city of Goma, capital of DRC’s North Kivu province, and control a swathe of DRC equivalent to almost half the size of Rwanda itself.

Revelations concerning Rwanda’s military death toll will intensify pressure on Kigali to come clean about its role in the conflict before a crisis summit attended by the Rwandan and DRC presidents, Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, respectively, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday.

Diplomatic sources say the true number of Rwandan dead – evidence of sustained frontline involvement – would be acutely damaging for Kagame.

Emmanuel Ngabo, who runs a group in France called ARC Urunana Nyarwanda France (Rwandan Alliance for Change), says he has received numerous indications from grieving parents that large numbers of Rwandans have been killed.

“There are so many bodies needing to be processed. There is such a queue of families waiting [for burial] that they are only allowed 30 minutes at the graveside.”

Ngabo, not his real name, adds: “The coffins are always closed, either because the soldier is so badly injured or burnt he is unrecognisable, or because there is nobody inside the box.

“We hear that privates are often buried where they fall in Congo: officers are brought back for burial in Kanombe [military cemetery in Kigali].”

Satellite images of Kanombe from August 2021 – before the start of the M23 conflict – and another taken on 15 December 2024, before the rebels seized Goma on 27 January, appear to show a dramatic increase in the number of graves there.

Two areas in particular indicate a proliferation of graves since the conflict began. One, in the cemetery’s north, appears to show about 100 new graves, doubling the number in that part of it.

To the south, at least 500 new graves can be seen. A significant number have probably been dug since the image was taken at the end of last year. Cloud cover, however, thwarted attempts to obtain a more recent image of Kanombe.

Last month marked a bloodier phase of the conflict, with a renewed M23 and RDF push seizing the towns of Minova and Sake, as well as Goma. The UN says the battle for Goma left at least 2,900 people dead.

An intelligence source confirms increased RDF deaths. “We have been receiving increasing reports of casualties in military hospitals and burial sites,” they say.

A military source adds that the capability of the DRC army – and effective use of drones and airpower – would have killed many.

“I’m not surprised to see the increase in graves. When you have aircraft dropping bombs on troops, it claims a lot of lives,” they say.

Although thousands of Rwandan troops are also deployed in Mozambique and Central African Republic, sources say RDF fatalities in those states are “barely a handful”.

UN experts estimated in December that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were on the ground in DRC but intelligence sources believe the figure is far higher, with possibly more than 7,000 there.

Rwandan families approached by the Guardian for comment on the conflict would not comment on the loss of their children. However, a Rwandan exiled in Europe said they had spoken to two families in the past week who had lost sons in the fighting.

They said that funerals, arranged by the military, were being conducted far more quickly than normal.

“It happens really fast. Family friends don’t get to see the deceased, as is normal in our culture,” they say, adding that the families were not told how their son died, just that it was “on the battlefield”.

Ngabo, who is exiled in France, adds: “I’ve published so many funeral notices for Rwandan soldiers killed in Congo.”

Grieving families are angry, he says. “Some were called by their sons, who said: ‘We’re leaving for Congo tomorrow, pray for me.’ Others didn’t even know their sons had been sent to fight in Congo when they got the phone call telling them to go to Kanombe to pick up the body.”

Although Rwanda has been tight-lipped about casualties across its western border, Kagame referenced RDF deaths in his recent end-of-year address, promising families that their “sacrifices shall never be in vain”.

A diplomatic source said his comments indicated the casualty rate was becoming a “very real issue”.

The Rwandan government has been contacted for comment.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/07/democratic-republic-congo-drc-paul-kagame-m23-rebels-goma-rwanda-troops-dying-denials

NTSA:
A picture is worth 1,000 words

According to your interpretation, what does this picture say?

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
I think Ramaphosa is playing the two sides.
Rheinemtall is still producing in South Africa.



https://aoav.org.uk/2024/who-is-arming-israel-other-global-exports-to-israel/

We are multi-aligned (or what the South Americans call "active non-alignment), meaning we talk and trade with everybody unless - and this is the crucial part - they are under UN, not unilateral sanctions.
SA arms exporters are forbidden by SA law, to sell arms to states in active conflict. Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Myanmar etc, are among the states to whom SA arms will NOT be sold.
What Rheinmetall Denel Munitions is doing is selling to NATO countries to replenish their own stocks. Essentially, when Germany for example, donates 100K shells from its own stocks produced by Rheinmetall factories elsewhere, the German military orders 100K from RDM in SA to replace those.
All of the materiel sourced from SA can only replenish own stocks, not to be donated to Ukraine or Israel. That's why a R1 billion order from Poland was put on hold and cancelled, after SA-made 155mm shells were seen in Ukraine.

AskiaHarem:
Guess Palestine is finished. South Africans where yall at? Trump and Netanyahu about to raise hell?

Ramaphosa opening Parliament yesterday:

We have always believed that the freedom we won – and the international solidarity from which we benefited – imposes a duty on us to support the struggles of those who continue to experience colonialism and oppression.

South Africa continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, who, having endured decades of illegal occupation, are now experiencing indescribable suffering.

South Africa has acted in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention by instituting proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

We are fully committed to the articles of the United Nations Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.

We support the principle of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states and peoples.

We continue to participate in the different peace processes seeking to bring about a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

South African delegations have been instrumental in developing a framework for negotiations towards a just peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter and international law.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vGJ2W7QqDo?si=JHPgSULgIiH7GIsZ

The opening of Parliament yesterday was...interesting.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vGJ2W7QqDo?si=JHPgSULgIiH7GIsZ

jl115:
"South African soldiers “fought like heroes” and killed at least 600 M23 rebels during a 24-hour gunfight in Sake, east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) , where they lost nine of their members last week.

This information was revealed to Sunday World by an award-winning a journalist, who witnessed the lethal exchange of fire while researching his book in Sake."

How long before those 2 bases run out of supplies?

South African troops on Sunday remained surrounded by hostile forces in their bases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and were rapidly running out of supplies, with no clear idea emerging of how Pretoria planned to rescue them.
Cargo aircraft were tracked flying from Waterkloof Air Force Base to Lubumbashi in the DRC or neighbouring Burundi at the weekend, sparking speculation that the SANDF was planning to extract its troops that way.

Odunayaw:
Bidexiii where did you get the FOB talk from?

Perhaps it came from the bolded?

ARMY PROVIDE MORE UPDATE ON TERRORIST ATTACK ON TROOPS IN THE TIMBUKTU TRIANGLE

1. On 16 Jan 25, troops of Operation HADIN KAI commenced operation DESERT SANITY IV as part of a wider measure to completely defeat the terrorists in the North East Region. In the course of the operation, troops dislodged terrorists from their enclaves in Jemyeri, Abulam, Agum and Digamari. Troops further stormed ISWAP training camp at Garin Baban Alhassan, destroyed the camp and neutralized 18 including 3 notorious commanders identified as Talha, the ISWAP women leader, Mallam Umar the RPG trainer and Abu Yazeed the ISWAP Brigade Commander in the Timbuktu Triangle. On 22 Jan 25 at about 1440hrs, troops of 199 SF Bn, Combat Teams 6 and 8 married up at Gardiri for the final onslaught on the notorious terrorist enclave. As precursor operations, troops cleared terrorist camps at Burbur, Lamisuri, Kassachia and Buk destroying all life supporting structures within these strongholds. It is worthy to state that the terrorists were placed on the backfoot as they were on the run all through seeking to find new hideouts within the Timbuktu Triangle.
2. Due to the pressure on the terrorists and a sign of desperation and last resort, on 24 Jan 25 at about 1910hrs, the terrorists cowardly rammed into troops at their harbor position with a Vehicle Borne IED at Gardiri base killing a Commanding Officer, 2 officers and some of our very brave men while injuring 20 others. Conversely and conservatively too, the troops neutralised more than 60 of the terrorists during the one week long operation . Also, 14 AK 47 rifles, 6 RPG tubes, 18 motorcycles and 24 AK 47 magazines were recovered by our gallant warriors.
3. Based on this development, a comprehensive review of the operation is being carried out to enable a re-launch. Meanwhile, It is pertinent to set the records straight that there was no terrorist activity at Malam Fatori which led to casualty on own troops as widely circulated in some media outlets by mischief makers. The only recorded incident occurred at the Timbuktu Triangle in Damboa LGA of Borno State as narrated earlier.

AskiaHarem:
Them folk coming at the Southes again. 🙃
[url] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/trump-cut-off-all-future-funding-south-africa-2025-02-02/ [/url]

The bolded is a diplomatic way to say we will not be pushed around for $400 million, however helpful it has been.

President Ramaphosa looks forward to engaging with President Trump over issues of bilateral interest and concern
Monday, 3 February 2025

South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African Government has not confiscated any land.

The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the Constitution. South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners.

We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters.

The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States.



Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

Tinfoil:
A massive world wide dollar shortage is on its way. Hopefully people are smart enough to buy dollars right now

x

Exnavyboy62:
See what you have caused, small candle that was given to you, you use it to cook and burn the entire kitchen. We are not letting you cook again.

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Thanks for stopping that false narrative & propaganda.

It is amazing to me how people just cannot tell fact from propaganda. Especially when it comes from Kagame/Rwanda.

Faithful007:
Personally I don’t. But I’m really wondering why a nationalist country like SA is comfortable sending her troops to fight insurgency in faraway DRC and the public isn’t making noise about it. Surely there must be a catch, right?

1) I know you don't.
2) SA a nationalist country? Explain how you get there...
3) Look at democratic SA's military involvement;
4) SA military activities are always contested. It always depends on who's doing the contesting and therefore the media.
Nuance, always advantageous in Saffer analysis, young man.