M23 Continues Advance in Eastern Congo After Peace Talks Between DRC and Rwanda Presidents

The M23 rebel group has taken over another town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), continuing its advance despite calls for a ceasefire. On Wednesday, the armed group took over Walikale, home to vast tin deposits and several gold mines. Walikale is also a huge strategic takeover point for M23, as they’ve now seized control of a part of the country that links all four provinces in eastern DRC.

Fiston Misona, a civil society activist in Walikale, told the Associated Press that there was heavy gunfire throughout the day, alleging that the “Congolese army is no longer fighting. It’s as if we were being sacrificed.”

Meanwhile, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) that includes M23, told Reuters earlier today that the group will keep “[fighting] until our cause is heard.” Nangaa also scoffed at the joint statement issued by the DRC and Rwandan governments calling for “an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame met in Doha on Tuesday to discuss M23’s insurgency, with the talks mediated by Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The African Union expressed support for the meeting; however, it appears the rebel group is not heeding the calls for a ceasefire.

“In the meantime, what happened in Doha, as long as we don't know the details, and as long as it doesn't solve our problems, we'll say it doesn't concern us,” Nangaa said.

The M23 rebel group pulled out of peace talks with the government of the DRC. The armed militia reneged on the talks, scheduled to start today in Luanda, Angola, following sanctions placed on some of its high-level officials by the European Union (EU).

Individuals on the sanctions list include M23 political leader, Bertrand Bisimwa, two major generals, and one brigadier general of the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF), as well as the chief executive officer of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Francis Kamanzi.

The M23 has captured and now controls Goma, Bukavu, and other key areas in the mineral-rich eastern region of the DRC, a conflict that has led to thousands of deaths and the displacements of thousands more. A direct negotiation with the Congolese government, which was initially reluctant to directly deal with the rebels, is currently seen as the best path to a ceasefire and potentially a lasting agreement.

Rwanda and Belgium have expelled each other's diplomats, effectively severing diplomatic ties. Rwanda accused Belgium, its former colonial ruler, of "using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda."

This escalation follows weeks of growing tensions centered on the M23 rebel group's advancement and occupation of two major cities, Goma and Bukavu, in the DRC. While Rwanda consistently denies involvement, it is widely believed that the East African country supports and finances the rebel group's activities in the region.

Belgium has been vocal about the need for the European Union to impose sanctions against Rwandan government officials to halt M23's operations and has strongly advocated for DRC's territorial integrity. Both Rwanda and DRC are former Belgian colonies.

In response to Rwanda's expulsion of its diplomats, the foreign affairs minister of Belgium, Maxime Prevot, announced reciprocal measures, stating that Rwanda's action demonstrates the Kagame administration "prefers not to engage in dialogue" during disagreements.

Late last month, Rwanda suspended its development cooperation program with Belgium, accusing Belgium of taking sides in the Congo situation. It's the same reaction the government had to the U.K.'s punitive measures, which includes the British government pausing bilateral aid and other diplomatic action. Rwanda accused the U.K. of "clearly [choosing] a side" and declaring that these measures do not "contribute to finding a lasting political solution to the conflict in Eastern DRC."

International pressure for sanctions against Rwandan leaders has intensified over the past month. Today, the EU adopted sanctions targeting high-ranking officials in the Rwandan Defense Force, M23, and the Gasabo Gold Refinery, all of whom are accused of exporting conflict minerals from Eastern DRC.

"This is not a 'Rwanda-bashing' exercise as some are trying to depict it — but a listing in reaction to those violating international [humanitarian] law," an EU diplomat anonymously told Politico. It is expected that the EU will adopt more sanctions and measures, especially as the bloc reviews a controversial critical minerals agreement it signed with Rwanda last year.