Ceasefire monitoring mission arrives in Democratic Republic of Congo

Fighting persists successful the mineral-rich portion contempt ceasefire agreements.

A monitoring ngo has been deployed successful the eastbound Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to verify the ceremonial ceasefire betwixt the DRC’s service and M23 rebels said to beryllium backed by Rwanda.

The United Nations and authorities sources said connected Monday that the monitoring squad had arrived to way the advancement of the Qatari-mediated truce. Despite the statement to extremity the hostilities, warring has continued connected the ground.

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The UN said that the ngo had deployed to Minembwe, located successful the country’s mineral-rich South Kivu province, wherever aggravated warring has persisted successful caller months.

The Swiss authorities announced connected Sunday that the DRC and M23 had agreed connected a roadmap for bid talks aft closed-door negotiations, and that a ngo would beryllium deployed to verify violations of the ceasefire statement signed successful Doha, Qatar successful July 2025.

The ngo is composed of members of the Congolese authorities and M23, arsenic good arsenic observers from subordinate countries of the International Conference connected the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

Local journalists reported that the UN Organization Stabilization Mission successful the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) provided logistical enactment for the deployment.

The ngo volition sojourn Uvira, from wherever the M23 withdrew successful January, arsenic good arsenic Kalehe, wherever warring has been reported successful caller weeks.

Multiple equipped groups person fought implicit the DRC’s mineral-abundant eastbound provinces, including the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and M23, which seized swathes of territory and precocious connected Goma, the superior of the North Kivu province, past year.

Peace efforts led by Qatar and the United States person sought to extremity the crisis, starring to the signing of 2 abstracted accords.

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame – whose state has been accused of backing the M23 rebels – signed a “historic” peace and economical agreement successful December aimed astatine ending fighting, 5 months aft the 2 agreed to a ceasefire. However, warring has continued connected the ground.

Both sides person accused the different of alleged abuses and ceasefire violations.

In a connection connected Monday, the DRC condemned alleged M23 “crimes and superior rights violations” successful territory nether its control, accusing the radical of sidesplitting “more than 300 people” successful June and July.

The M23 has rejected the accusations. A spokesperson for the radical said connected X that authorities forces had launched a “deadly attack” with artillery connected a colony adjacent Minembwe.