GOMA, Congo — The Congolese government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Friday accused each other of violating the terms of a ceasefire agreement that aims to end decades of fighting and bring lasting peace to the conflict-ridden region.
Recent drone strikes and clashes have cast doubt on the peace accord and the separate minerals deal Congo signed with US President Donald Trump’s administration to access Congo’s rich minerals.
Trump helped negotiate a peace deal between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, seen as an indirect but key player in the conflict, while Qatar and other partners have supported similar efforts involving direct talks between the government and the M23.
But no track stopped the fight.
On Tuesday, a drone attack blamed on Congolese forces by M23 killed a French United Nations staff member in the major city of Goma, less than a month after a similar strike killed a spokesman for the rebel group and wounded several others.
Residents continue to report clashes between M23 and Congolese forces, sometimes joined by the local Wajalendo militia group, with thousands displaced in recent weeks.
M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka told the Associated Press that the Congolese army was still committed to peace efforts “as long as it refrains from attacking our positions and killing our leaders, soldiers and innocent civilians.”
Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muaya said the government was investigating this week’s strike, which killed a French aid worker, but did not elaborate on other drone attacks.
He blamed M23 for violating the ceasefire, but said the government side wanted to reaffirm “our commitment to honoring the ceasefire” and other agreements.
AP could not independently verify incidents in affected areas of the region. The attacks, however, have complicated peace efforts in the region, where mass graves have recently been found.
The conflict has triggered one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with at least 7 million people displaced in eastern Congo.
Despite peace talks, at least 60 drone strikes in 2026 were attributed to the Congolese military, and less than 5% of drone strikes in the region in the past year were attributed to rebels, according to a report by the US-based Armed Conflict Space. & Event Data (ACLED), which collects conflict data from around the world.
“You still have people losing their lives to this crisis, and you still have displacement,” said Christian Rumu, a senior campaigner at Amnesty International, adding that the Congolese “will not experience any positive change” from the peace accords.
“Heavy artillery has been used in populated areas throughout the conflict since 2021 and we see that in the latest attack in Goma,” Rumu said.
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AP writer Saleh Mwanamilongo contributed to this report. Adetayo reports from Lagos, Nigeria.
(Tags to be translated)Politics(T)War and Conflict(T)International Agreements(T)General News(T)Diplomacy(T)World News(T)Article(T)131050006
