The parties to the conflict in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to a new 72-hour ceasefire, with the support of the Congolese and Rwandan authorities, the United States (USA) announced Monday.
“As of noon (local time), the armed forces and non-state armed groups have ceased fighting to facilitate the withdrawal of the forces occupying the city of Mushaki and the RP1030 (Kirolwire-Kitchanga) road,” stated the port -National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
The spokeswoman for the National Security Council said that Washington will control the activities of the parties for the duration of the ceasefire.
“The United States supports the resumption of the Nairobi and Luanda processes, which seek to resolve the current and historical factors that perpetuate this long-standing crisis,” he added.
The agreement follows a trip by the director of the US Secret Service, Avril Haines, to the DRC and diplomatic contacts with the Congolese President, Felix Tshisekedi, and the Rwandan Head of State, Paul Kagame.
The international force of the East African Community (EAC) officially began to withdraw on Friday following the Congolese government decided to end its mandate, following a year of fruitless efforts to contain militia violence and gain the confidence of the population.
The March 23 Movement (M23) claimed to have captured Mushaki following the withdrawal of international forces. The mission, which lasted just one year, aimed to protect the civilian population from these militias, whose confrontation with Congolese forces caused a regional exodus.
M23 is a rebel group made up mainly of Congolese Tutsis and operating mainly in the province. After a conflict between 2012 and 2013, the DRC and the group signed a peace agreement in December.
During the fighting, the Congolese army was supported by UN troops.
The terrorist group launched a new offensive in October 2022, which intensified in November, causing a diplomatic crisis between the DRC and Rwanda over its role in the conflict.
Kigali accused Kinshasa of supporting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed rebel group founded and composed mainly of Hutus responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.