The government of Kinshasa and the M23/AFC movement have once again accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement, following heavy clashes reported this week in North and South Kivu provinces.
Speaking to the press on Thursday in Goma, M23 leaders claimed that “Kinshasa does not want peace” and warned that from now on, “every attack from their side will be met with a counterattack.”
On the same day, Patrick Muyaya, the spokesperson for the Kinshasa government, accused M23 of breaching the truce, telling journalists, “We know who is violating the ceasefire and who is killing people in Goma and Bukavu.”
According to reports from local media in the DRC, fighting between Wazalendo militias and M23 forces in Masisi and Walikale territories earlier this week forced thousands of residents to flee their homes.
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The renewed clashes come only weeks after representatives from M23 and Kinshasa held talks in Doha, Qatar, where both sides had agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor the July ceasefire a deal that has since seen limited implementation.
In Goma, Corneille Nangaa, head of the political wing of the AFC/M23, accused the Congolese government and its allies of “blockading all routes” in the Minembwe area, causing “widespread hunger and civilian suffering.” He further alleged that Kinshasa had violated several agreements reached in Doha, saying, “This proves that the Congolese government remains committed to a purely military solution to this conflict.”
Nangaa also accused government forces of conducting airstrikes on populated areas and breaching ceasefire terms “under the cover of diplomatic language.”
Meanwhile, in Kinshasa, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya insisted that progress was being made under both the Washington and Doha frameworks. He expressed surprise at the continued accusations from M23/AFC, despite mutual commitments to prisoner exchanges, ceasefire compliance, and the establishment of a monitoring mechanism.
Responding to M23’s claims, Muyaya said, “Their statements are meant to mislead the public. We know who is violating the ceasefire, who is killing people in Goma, Bukavu, and Rutshuru, and who is intimidating the press. We remain focused on fulfilling our obligations to ensure that the Washington and Doha processes move forward.”
In Washington this week, envoys from Kigali and Kinshasa met for the third time to discuss steps toward dismantling the FDLR militia and addressing Rwanda’s security concerns.
Kinshasa continues to accuse Kigali of backing the M23/AFC movement, while Rwanda maintains that the Congolese government supports the FDLR a rebel group opposed to Kigali’s leadership.
Muyaya concluded by noting that the ongoing Doha talks aim to address the root causes of the conflict. “We are waiting for concrete outcomes from Doha,” he said. “For now, it is not the time to be distracted by side narratives more developments will follow.”
