DR Congo, Rwanda Reach Ceasefire Agreement Starting Friday - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th November, 2022) An agreement for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), where rebels of the March 23 movement (M23) are active, has been reached between DR Congo and Rwanda starting Friday, the Africanews website reported, citing Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio.

In June, the leaders of the East African Community agreed to create a coalition to end the conflict in the east of the Congo sparked by the M23. DR Congo accused Rwanda of supporting the rebels; the latter denied the accusations. Both countries claimed the other was shelling its border territories.

According to the report, Felix Tshisekedi, the president of DR Congo, and Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta have met in attempts to end the recent escalation of tensions in eastern DR Congo after July's ceasefire had failed.

The newly negotiated ceasefire will go into effect from 6:00 p.m. (17:00 GMT) on Friday.

Both parties have agreed to demand "the immediate withdrawal of the M23 rebels from the occupied areas," Africanews quoted Antonio as saying.

The M23 movement, which is fighting for the interests of the Tutsi ethnic minority, suffered a heavy military defeat in November 2013 and was disbanded. In November 2021, the rebels took up arms again, accusing the authorities of DR Congo of violating agreements that provided for the integration of disarmed M23 rebels into the army.