DRC, M23 Rebels Exchange Ceasefire Violation Accusations
The Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) announced Tuesday that M23 combatants and affiliated militias targeted its installations in Kaziba, Katogota, and Lubarika. Army spokesperson Major General Sylvain Ekenge stated the attacks "clearly show the coalition's intention to sabotage the Washington and Doha peace agreements."
Corneille Nangaa, commander of the rebel Congo River Alliance (AFC) incorporating M23, released a competing statement on X, charging Congolese and Burundian forces alongside other regional partners with initiating their own assault earlier that day. He declared the insurgent faction "has no choice but to defend itself and protect civilian populations" responding to what he termed a "violation of the ceasefire."
Tuesday's mutual allegations surface after negotiating parties endorsed a framework pact in November pledging ceasefire preservation and commitment toward comprehensive resolution.
Earlier truce efforts have similarly collapsed. In July, Congolese representatives and the AFC executed a declaration in Doha agreeing to complete a peace settlement by August 18. That deadline expired without advancement, with opposing sides blaming each other for infractions.
Additionally, DR Congo concluded an agreement with Rwanda in June, mediated by the US and Qatar, targeting resolution of the decades-long hostilities. Kinshasa has consistently accused Rwanda of supporting M23 and extracting profits from illicit mineral extraction in the DRC—charges Kigali refutes.
Monday saw White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt inform reporters that Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame were anticipated to formalize the completed agreement on December 4 in Washington, which she described as "the historic peace and economic agreement."
Combat has escalated throughout eastern Congo since early 2025, with M23 forces seizing strategic population centers, including Goma in North Kivu and Bukavu in South Kivu. Thousands have perished and tens of thousands been uprooted since the intensification.
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