Another truce talk in Qatar? DR Congo, M23 representatives meeting in West Asia, diplomat says

Delegations from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 armed group are in Qatar for talks aimed at securing a broader ceasefire, a diplomat with knowledge of the discussions said on Wednesday (July 9).

"Delegations from both the DRC and... M23 are currently in Doha, with the Qataris facilitating the talks," the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

The M23, which is backed by Rwanda, had last week called for further dialogue to resolve issues it said were not addressed in a peace agreement signed by Rwanda and Congo in Washington in June.

"This round of negotiations will be critical towards reaching an agreement," the diplomat added, noting that Qatari mediators were working closely with the African Union.

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The Washington deal was intended to halt violence in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where fighting has claimed thousands of lives. However, the M23, the main group battling Congolese government forces, was not part of those talks and has demanded a separate ceasefire arrangement with Kinshasa.

In a rapid offensive earlier this year, the M23 captured large areas in eastern DRC, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu.

Eastern Congo has experienced nearly uninterrupted conflict for more than three decades, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

Rwanda has denied providing support to the M23, but United Nations experts have reported that the Rwandan army played a "critical" role in the group’s recent advances, including participating in combat.

While the front lines have remained largely static since February, intermittent clashes continue between M23 fighters and various pro-government militias.

With inputs from agencies