African leaders have announced the withdrawal of thousands of troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, who were sent to fight insurgents in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have killed peacekeepers while overrunning the region this year.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's defence minister said there was a need to "relook at" a Southern African mission in Democratic Republic of Congo, where troops from several countries including South Africa are deployed to help the country fight Rwanda-backed rebels.

To address global instability and insecurity, we have decided to launch a dedicated EU-South Africa, peace, security and defense dialog,’ says European Council president - Anadolu Ajansı

The southern African regional bloc has decided to end its military deployment to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where it lost at least a dozen soldiers in conflict there in January.

The troops were sent two years ago to support the Congolese army fight the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, which has seized control of large parts of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo this year. At least 19 soldiers from South Africa,