The Government of D -C Congo and M23 rebels agree with the end of fire after conversations in Qatar

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Rwanda -supported rebels M23 agreed to stop the battles in the eastern part of the country while the peace talks mediated by Qatar reach their “conclusion”.

This has been the deepest truce deal since the rebels strengthened the offensive in East Congo, where authorities claim that 7,000 people had been killed since January.

Both sides on Wednesday jointly announced to work for peace after more than a week of conversations, which they described as “honest and constructive”.

Last month Congoan President Félix Tshikedi and his colleague from Rwanda Paul Kagame also Confirmed their commitment to an “unconditional” ending the fire of a surprising meeting in DohaS

The decades of conflict has intensified since January, when the M23 organized an unprecedented offensive, Goma and Bukavu, the two largest cities in the Eastern Congo – and caused fears of a wider regional war.

C Congo accuses Rwanda of arming the M23 and sends troops to support the rebels in the conflict. Despite allegations from both the UN and the US, Rwanda denied supporting the M23.

Rwanda said his forces were acting in self -defense against the Congoan Army and the Allied militias, some of which blamed relations with the Rwanda genocide since 1994.

C Congo also accuses Rwanda of illegal use of its mineral deposits in the eastern part of the country, which Rwanda denies.

In a joint statement, published separately by the M23 government and Congoan on Wednesday, each country promised to give peace of mind a chance.

“By Mutual Agreement, Both Parties Reaffirm Commitment to The Immediat Cessation of Hostiles, and Categorical Rejection of Any Hate Speech, Intimidation, and Call on All Local Communities To Statement Read on Congolese National TV and and Posted on X by M23 speaker Lawrence Kanjuka.

They said that the termination of fire would be applied “throughout the duration of conversations and to their conclusion.”

Sources in Qatar talks have told the Reuters Agency that the result of the meetings is almost derailed by “technical” issues.

It is unclear how long the truce will be retained, as several terminations have been agreed since 2021, before it collapses.

Foreign Minister in Belgium Maxime Presto called a truce “decisive step towards termination of violence”S

Qatar mediated between the two parties after the rebels refused to attend peace talks in Angola last month.

The Congoan government has long refused to have direct conversations with the M23 by marking it a “terrorist” group.