A ceasefire between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forces and Rwandan-backed rebels in the eastern town of Walikale appeared to unravel on Monday, with the rebels retracting their commitment to withdraw and accusing the Congolese army of failing to honor its own agreements.
The possibility of a ceasefire in Walikale, which was captured by the M23 rebels last week, had briefly raised hopes for a revival of diplomatic efforts to address the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, the region’s largest in decades.
The conflict, which has roots in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition over valuable mineral resources, has resulted in the rebels seizing control of two of eastern Congo’s largest cities, thousands of deaths, and the threat of a broader regional war.
However, less than two days after the rebels announced they would withdraw from Walikale and the Congolese army pledged not to attack, the ceasefire began to falter, echoing the fate of several previous failed ceasefire attempts.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the M23’s Congo River Alliance (AFC) rebel coalition, accused the army and its allied militias of failing to withdraw attack drones from the area. He stated on social media, “This situation delays the repositioning of AFC/M23 forces and is a major obstacle to the ceasefire, which jeopardizes the ongoing peace initiatives.”
Army representatives were unavailable for comment at the time.
Residents of Walikale, the farthest west M23 had advanced since intensifying their offensive in January, reported that rebel forces remained in the town on Monday morning. One resident, speaking anonymously for safety, noted, “They haven’t moved. They are still visible in the center of town.”
Efforts to facilitate direct negotiations between the Congolese government and the rebels have consistently failed. Last week, both sides were set to meet for direct talks in Angola after Kinshasa reversed its longstanding refusal to engage with the rebels. However, M23 withdrew from the talks in protest over European Union sanctions targeting its leaders and Rwandan officials.
On Monday, Angola announced that it would no longer mediate in the conflict, with another African nation set to take over the role.
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