The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group announced its withdrawal from planned peace talks with the Congolese government in Luanda, scheduled for Tuesday, throwing the already fragile peace process into further uncertainty, as per Al Jazeera.
The announcement came despite earlier confirmation that the group would participate in the Angola-mediated negotiations.
The M23 attributed its decision to recent European Union sanctions imposed on its leader and Rwandan army commanders, alleging that these sanctions are a deliberate attempt to sabotage peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement posted on X, M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said:
“Certain international institutions are deliberately working to sabotage peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and make the long-awaited talks impossible.”
He further stated:
“The successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those adopted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, seriously compromise direct dialogue and prevent any progress.” For these reasons, Kanyuka announced, M23 could “no longer participate in the discussion.”
Despite the M23’s withdrawal, a spokesperson for DRC President Felix Tshisekedi confirmed that a DRC delegation is in Luanda and intends to proceed with the talks as planned. Tshisekedi had previously resisted direct negotiations with the M23, but Angola has been working for months to mediate a ceasefire.
The M23, one of approximately 100 armed groups vying for control in the mineral-rich eastern DRC near the Rwandan border, has been engaged in a major offensive since the beginning of the year, capturing key areas and causing significant casualties.
Last week, M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa claimed the rebels had forced Tshisekedi to the negotiating table:
“Peace begins with dialogue. The sooner we talk, the sooner peace becomes a reality.”
The conflict in eastern DRC escalated earlier this year with a lightning offensive by the M23, resulting in the seizure of strategic cities such as Goma and Bukavu. According to the United Nations, the M23 is supported by approximately 4,000 Rwandan soldiers.
Rwanda claims its forces are acting in self-defense against the Congolese army and militias hostile to Kigali. The conflict in the eastern DRC, rooted in the spillover from the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the struggle for control of vast mineral resources, has persisted for decades.
The ongoing violence has triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, displacing over seven million people and resulting in an estimated 7,000 deaths since the start of the year. The UN Human Rights Council launched a commission in February to investigate alleged atrocities, including rape and killings akin to “summary executions,” committed by both sides.
