A blackout on operations by South African soldiers fighting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo has left historic battles shrouded in mystery. Now writer Stephan Hofstatter and photojournalist James Oatway, who reported on two of the battles from the Congo, have been granted exclusive access to the men who fought in democratic South Africa’s most successful military operation.
This is their story.

WITH South African soldiers at the forefront of attacks on rebels this week, the conflict in the eastern Democratic Repubic of Congo is threatening to escalate into all-out war. Writer Stephan Hofstatter and photographer James Oatway report from Goma in the strife torn DRC.

Bands of killers are spreading a reign of terror in the town of Beni and surrounding villages in the eastern DRC. Stephan Hofstatter and James Oatway met some of the survivors of a series of massacres.