US govt says DR Congo, M23 rebels have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire

The DR Congo army and the M23 rebels on Monday, December 11, agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, according to a statement from the White House.

The two parties have had a fragile ceasefire since November 2022 which was broken on October 1 as hostilities renewed, threatening to end regional peace efforts.

In a statement issued late Monday, the National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the United States « welcomes the ceasefire committed to by the parties to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. »

She said the ceasefire began at midday on Monday and was « a follow-up to the confidence building measures » secured during Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines’ travel on November 19-20 to the DR Congo and Rwanda, and her subsequent engagements with Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame.

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Watson said on Monday « armed forces and non-state armed groups ceased fighting to facilitate the withdrawal of forces occupying the locality of Mushaki and the RP1030 road (Kirolwire-Kitchanga). »

Eastern DR Congo has been volatile for nearly 30 years and remains home to more than 130 armed groups.