A fragile ceasefire between Congolese forces and Rwandan-backed rebels in the eastern town of Walikale has collapsed, with the rebels claiming the army is violating its commitments. The collapse comes just days after the rebels announced their intention to withdraw from the town, which they captured last week.
The ceasefire, agreed upon by both sides, had briefly raised hopes for reviving stalled diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-running conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. However, tensions have flared as M23 rebels accused the army and allied militias of not withdrawing their attack drones from Walikale.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for M23’s Congo River Alliance rebel coalition, said that the situation was creating a “major obstacle” to respecting the ceasefire and peace initiatives. The rebels claim they are still visible in the town centre, contradicting the army’s pledge to refrain from attacking them.
This latest setback comes as attempts to bring Congo and the rebels to the negotiating table have repeatedly failed. Angola, which had been mediating efforts, announced on Monday that it was withdrawing its role due to African Union priorities.
The conflict in eastern Congo has led to rebel control of two largest cities, thousands of deaths, and fears of a wider regional war. The root cause of the violence is rooted in the long fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and competition for control of mineral riches.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/angola-end-east-congo-conflict-mediation-role-presidency-says-2025-03-24