M23 insurgents supported by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have agreed to stop fighting in the eastern part of the country until a “conclusion” is reached by Qatar-mediated peace talks.
This is the latest truce as rebels attacked the eastern Congo Doctor, with authorities saying 7,000 people killed since January.
The two sides jointly announced their efforts to achieve peace after more than a week of talks on Wednesday, which they called was “candid and constructive.”
Last month, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame also reiterated their commitment to an “unconditional” ceasefire at a surprise meeting in Doha.
The M23 launched an unprecedented offensive since January, capturing Goma and Bukavo, the two largest cities in eastern Congo and sparking concerns about a wider regional war, a decades-long intensified conflict.
The Congolese doctor accused Rwanda of arming the M23 and sent troops to support the rebels in the conflict. Although both the United Nations and the United States claim are denied by Rwanda for supporting M23.
Rwanda said its troops were in self-defense against Congolese troops and allied militias, some of whom were accused of being linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The Congolese doctor also accused Rwanda of illegally using its mineral deposits in the eastern part of the country, which Rwanda denied.
Both sides promised peace talks in a joint statement issued by M23 and the Congolese government on Wednesday.
“Through mutual agreement, both sides reaffirm their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities, an absolute rejection of any hate speech, intimidation, and call on all local communities to uphold these commitments,” they said in a statement on Congo State Television.
They said the ceasefire will “over the entire process of the talks until their conclusion.”
Sources in the Qatar talks told Reuters news agency that the results of the meeting were almost derailed by “technology” issues.
Several ceasefires have been agreed since 2021, and it is not clear how long the truce will last before going bankrupt.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the truce a “critical step towards a violent trial.”
Qatar has been mediating between the two parties after rebels refused to participate in peace talks held in Angola last month.
The Congolese government has long refused to negotiate directly with the M23 and labeled it as a “terrorist” group.
More information about the conflict between the Congo Doctors:
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