Ceasefire verification mission deploys to eastern DR Congo

A mission to verify a fragile ceasefire between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 armed group was deployed Monday to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the two sides traded accusations of abuses. The eastern DRC has been riven by decades of conflict with multiple armed groups fighting over its mineral-rich territory, including the M23, which seized further swaths of the region last year. Peace efforts led by Qatar and the United States last year sought to end the crisis, leading to the signing of two separate accords. Watch moreUS cracks down on mineral trafficking in DR Congo with new sanctions The Congolese government and the AFC/M23 signed a commitment towards a ceasefire in Doha in July 2025, while the DRC and Rwanda formalised a US-brokered peace deal in December in Washington. However, fighting has continued on the ground. On Sunday, the Swiss government announced in a statement that the DRC and AFC/M23 had agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, following negotiations held in Switzerland. It also mentioned the upcoming deployment on the ground of a regional body to verify violations of the ceasefire to which the parties have committed. Read moreDR Congo, AFC...