DRC, M23 rebels resume peace talks in Qatar amid renewed fighting
The two delegations had arrived in Doha to revive a truce signed earlier this year that had not been fully implemented.
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group have resumed peace talks in Doha, mediator Qatar said on Tuesday, amid new reports of fighting between the two factions in eastern DR Congo.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, told journalists that the two delegations had arrived in Doha to revive a truce signed earlier this year that had not been fully implemented.
More To Read
- 532 Rwandan refugees return home from DRC following voluntary repatriation agreement
- Rwanda rejects Human Rights Watch allegations of backing M23 killings in DRC
- M23 rejects HRW findings linking group to over 140 civilian deaths in DRC
- M23 casts doubt on DRC peace efforts after skipping Qatar talks
- ADF rebels kill at least 52 civilians in eastern DRC
- Islamic State claims responsibility for DRC church attack that left at least 43 dead
"We've received the two parties here in Doha from the DRC and the M23 to discuss the implementation of a previous agreement," he said, according to TRT Afrika.
DRC and M23 signed a truce in July in Doha, with the hope of ending the war in the mineral-rich region that has been severely affected by conflict.
The deal had set clear steps, including that peace talks were to begin on August 8 and finish with a final agreement by August 18. However, both dates passed without progress, and soon after, clashes were reported between the DR Congo army and M23, with both sides trading blame.
The July deal came after a separate agreement in Washington between the governments of Congo and Rwanda, but M23 argued that the Kinshasa-Kigali deal ignored their demands and insisted on negotiating directly with the Congolese government.
According to Majed, the Tuesday talks, supported by the United States and the International Committee of the Red Cross, aim to ensure that the ceasefire between the two parties holds. It similarly seeks to establish protocols for prisoner exchanges.
"The current talks included the discussions over finding a mechanism of monitoring the ceasefire, alongside an exchange of prisoners and detainees," he said.
The ongoing conflict has fueled one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises, with millions displaced across the DRC. At least 7,000 people have been killed in recent months, with many more wounded.
Analysts warn that dragging out the deal risks undermining efforts to bring peace to eastern Congo and the wider Great Lakes region, casting doubt over the future of the peace process.
Top Stories Today
