Army officials and the M23 coalition have accused each other of breaking a truce just days before a Washington-backed peace deal is set to be signed
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s military and M23 rebels have accused each other of violating a fragile ceasefire, just 48 hours before a peace agreement is due to be signed in Washington.
The Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) said on Tuesday that its positions in Kaziba, Katogota, and Lubarika had been attacked by M23 fighters and allied groups. Army spokesperson Major General Sylvain Ekenge said the incidents “clearly show the coalition’s intention to sabotage the Washington and Doha peace agreements.”
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the rebel Congo River Alliance (AFC) that includes M23, issued a counterstatement on X, accusing Congolese and Burundian troops as well as other regional allies of launching their own offensive earlier in the day. He said the rebel group “has no choice but to defend itself and protect civilian populations” in response to what he called a “violation of the ceasefire.”
The latest accusations come after the parties signed a framework agreement in November committing to maintain the ceasefire and work toward a final settlement.
Previous attempts to secure a ceasefire have also failed. In July, Congolese officials and the AFC signed a declaration in Doha and agreed to finalize a peace deal by August 18. The deadline passed without progress, with each side accusing the other of violations.
In addition, DR Congo signed an agreement with Rwanda in June, brokered by the US and Qatar, aiming to end the decades-old conflict. Kinshasa has long accused Rwanda of backing M23 and profiting from illegal mining operations in the DRC – allegations Kigali denies.
On Monday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame were expected to sign the finalized accord on December 4 in Washington, which she referred to as “the historic peace and economic agreement.”
Fighting has intensified in eastern Congo since early 2025, with M23 forces capturing key towns, including Goma in North Kivu and Bukavu in South Kivu. Thousands of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the escalation.
