The South African government confirmed on Sunday that its armed forces will dispatch troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of a UN intervention force.

"The government of South Africa will contribute troops to the UN intervention force into the eastern DRC," said Brigadier General Xolani Mabanga, the spokesperson of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).

On March 28, the UN Security Council authorized a new intervention brigade for the DRC, mandating to take military action against the rebel groups to help bring peace to the conflict-torn eastern part of the country.

The South African government pledged to send soldiers to join the UN force, said the spokesperson. But he did not disclose the concrete number of the soldiers who would be sent to the DRC and the date of their deployment.

"It will depend on the UN force structures," said the officer.

The South African government will face the pressure over sending the peace-keeping force abroad due to suffering the heavy military loss 10 days ago.

On March 23, 13 South African peace-keeping soldiers were killed and 27 others injured when they came under fire from the rebel troops in the Central African Republic's (CAR) capital of Bangui.

The South African military spokesperson Mabanga said the casualties the South African troops suffered in the CAR would not deter the South African armed forces from doing any other task.

"The SANDF is ready to carry out any mission that will be given to undertake," said the officer.