A de facto ceasefire between Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in Walikale, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, collapsed on Monday after the rebels withdrew their commitment to pull out of the town.
According to NAN, the rebels blamed the Congolese army for not honoring its commitments.
The ceasefire had briefly raised hopes for renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, a region plagued by fighting over mineral resources and the lingering effects of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Just 48 hours after pledging to withdraw, M23 accused the Congolese military of failing to remove attack drones from the area, leading to the breakdown of the truce.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for M23’s Congo River Alliance (AFC) rebel coalition, described the army’s actions as a significant obstacle to maintaining the ceasefire.
Despite the agreement’s collapse, residents reported that rebel fighters were still visible in Walikale on Monday morning.
Efforts to negotiate peace have repeatedly failed, with M23 previously withdrawing from talks in protest against sanctions on its leaders.
Angola, which had been mediating the discussions, expressed frustration over the stalled negotiations and withdrew from the process.
Meanwhile, Rwanda denied supporting M23, insisting its military was acting in self-defense against Congolese forces and a militia linked to the 1994 genocide.
However, the United Nations, Western nations, and the Congolese government have all accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a claim Kigali continues to reject.