Nine Zimbabwean men arrested in South Africa over suspected war travel

Nine Zimbabwean men aged 20 to 26 have been arrested in South Africa on suspicion of trying to travel to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. The arrests highlight growing concern about the recruitment of African citizens for the conflict, including people who may be misled about the nature of the work or where they are going.

Five suspects were detained at OR Tambo airport and four at a hotel in Johannesburg on Sunday evening, as they prepared to board flights; their intended destination and which side they may have planned to join are unknown. They face charges under South Africa’s law on foreign military assistance, which prohibits mercenary activity without government permission. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment said more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries had been recruited to fight for Russia, while Zimbabwe said in March that 15 of its citizens had been killed and more than 60 remained on the front lines.