M23 declares ceasefire for humanitarian reasons citing DRC bombardments
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4 – The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) has announced a ceasefire starting Tuesday, citing humanitarian concerns arising from ongoing hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement issued on Monday, the M23 rebel group accused the Kinshasa regime of exacerbating the crisis.
The Rwanda-backed group condemned the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) for allegedly using military aircraft at Kavumu Airport to load bombs targeting areas under M23 control.
“We condemn the FARDC’s continued use of military aircraft at Kavumu Airport, where they load bombs that kill our compatriots in liberated areas,” the statement read.
The rebel group clarified that it had no intention of advancing into Bukavu or other areas after capturing Goma.
However, it reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilians and maintaining its defensive positions.
“It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” the group stated.
Additionally, M23 reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), arguing that its continued presence was no longer justified.
The declaration comes amid intensified clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces, leading to mass displacements and growing humanitarian concerns in the region.
The ceasefire announcement comes as President William Ruto and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa prepare to co-chair a joint summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Saturday, as the two regional blocs seek consensus on resolving the conflict in eastern DRC.
President Ruto confirmed the summit on Monday, following SADC’s acceptance of the EAC’s request on Friday.
SADC agreed to the request during a summit hosted by Mnangagwa in Harare, where discussions centered on M23’s takeover of Goma—a development that prompted Ruto to convene EAC leaders on Thursday.
EAC Heads of State had proposed a joint session during a virtual summit hosted by President Ruto.
While confirming the upcoming summit, President Ruto stated that his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu, had agreed to host regional leaders in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
He added that President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda had confirmed their attendance, with a ministerial meeting scheduled for Friday.
Ruto also confirmed the participation of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia.
The much-anticipated joint summit comes amid heightened tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa over M23’s advances in eastern DRC, with Tshisekedi accusing Kagame of supporting the rebels.
Ramaphosa has also criticized Kagame, sparking a diplomatic row after the South African leader referred to the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) as a “militia”—a remark that angered the Rwandan President.
Kagame has repeatedly denied accusations by international observers of supporting M23.
At Thursday’s summit, he expressed frustration with the EAC’s handling of the DRC crisis, fiercely criticizing fellow leaders for what he described as a disjointed and ineffective approach.
He accused his counterparts of prioritizing national interests at the expense of a collective regional strategy.
“Tshisekedi decided we were not doing what he wanted and went to SADC. SADC agreed they’d come and do what he wanted and sent everybody else [EAC] packing. We complied and kept quiet,” he lamented in remarks released by the Rwandan presidency.
“But really, to have even had the EAC expelled from eastern DRC and for everybody to comply, and then remain quiet as if it was normal or okay for everything to be dictated by the country or person we are trying to help,” Kagame said, referring to the withdrawal of the EAC Regional Force (EAC-RF) from the DRC in December 2023.
He questioned why the summit, after agreeing to withdraw the EAC Regional Force, acted “surprised” by the worsening situation following M23’s takeover of Goma.
“What really did we expect?” Kagame asked.
The Rwandan leader criticized the bloc for being vague about the crisis in the DRC.
“If we keep saying good things and being nice to each other while each one fulfills their own interests rather than the common interest we have as East Africans, I don’t see how we are going to contribute effectively to finding a solution,” he cautioned.
Kagame also took a swipe at the Nairobi and Luanda Processes, arguing that they had become more about their facilitators than achieving tangible results.
“The Nairobi Process became an Uhuru Process, the Luanda Process is like you cannot say anything that will displease President Lourenço,” he said, referring to Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Angola’s President João Lourenço.
The EAC-led Nairobi Process, facilitated by Kenyatta, seeks to foster high-level political dialogue among Congolese stakeholders to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC.
Kagame followed up his remarks at the summit with a strongly worded statement on Thursday, rebuking Ramaphosa over South Africa’s labeling of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) as a militia.
“The Rwanda Defence Force is an army, not a militia,” Kagame asserted.
