Rebels in DR Congo declare a ceasefire for “humanitarian reasons”
Kyiv • UNN
An alliance of rebel groups in eastern DR Congo has announced a humanitarian ceasefire. According to the UN, 900 people were killed in the recent battles for Goma, and more than 400,000 became refugees.
An alliance of rebel groups in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a humanitarian ceasefire since Tuesday, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
In its statement, the group, which includes Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, cited "humanitarian reasons" for the ceasefire after it seized territory in the eastern part of the country.
The UN says at least 900 people were killed and 2,880 wounded in recent fighting in and around Goma, DR Congo's largest eastern city, after rebels seized the city.
The G7 countries and the EU condemned the attack as a blatant violation of DR Congo's sovereignty.
An alliance of rebel groups known as the Congo River Alliance has accused the Congolese military of killing people using airplanes to bomb territories it holds.
He added that he had no intention of seizing any additional territory, despite his statement to the contrary last week, and would hold his ground.
In a statement, the alliance said: "We reaffirm our commitment to the protection and defense of civilians and our positions.
Over the past three years, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by regional fighting. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 400 ,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since the beginning of 2025.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Rwandan Defense Forces, said he did not know whether his country's troops were in the DR Congo.
"There are many things I don't know about. But if you want to ask me, does Congo have a problem that affects Rwanda? And will Rwanda do something to protect itself? I would say 100%," he told CNN on Monday.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations are calling for increased pressure on Rwanda to back down.
DR Congo's Minister of Communications Patrick Muya called on the international community to impose sanctions on Rwanda.
"There must be a firm decision not only to condemn but to stop Rwanda's actions, because it is unacceptable if you want to keep peace in Africa and in our region," Mugye told Reuters.
"Sanctions are the minimum," he added.
The presidents of Congo and Rwanda are to attend a regional peace summit in Tanzania on Friday.
With 30 years of conflict behind them, it is expected that any negotiations, if they are not interrupted, as has already happened several times over the past year, could drag on for months.
