Malawi has lost a second soldier who was on a peacekeeping mission in the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Malawi Defence Force announced on Monday.
Acting MDF spokesperson Emmanuel Mlelemba said Maxwell Nyirenda died on Saturday at the International Hospital Kampala in Uganda where he had been transferred to following a short illness.
“The MDF mourns the death of Corporal Maxwell Nyirenda. He was a fine young man who was courageous, hardworking and disciplined,” Mlelemba said in a statement.
Nyirenda, who was from the parachute regiment, becomes the second casualty suffered by the MDF in as many months following the death of Chitenji Kamanga who was killed early last month following an attack on a United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) base in eastern DRC.
The UN peacekeeping mission has around 12,000 troops deployed in eastern DRC to contain violence by armed groups.
Malawi is one of a number of southern African countries contributing troops to the Force Intervention Brigade under MONUSCO. Other countries include Namibia and South Africa.
JN/APA