The M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has accused the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of trying to derail direct peace talks set to take place in Angola.
In a statement released on Sunday, Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the M23 and its political-military alliance, the Congo River Alliance (AFC), alleged that the DRC government had been bombing densely populated areas in recent days using fighter jets and drones.
Kanyuka claimed that these attacks were part of a strategy by the DRC’s government to sabotage the much-anticipated dialogue between the two sides.
“This deadly escalation… demonstrates the Kinshasa regime’s intent to sabotage the long-awaited dialogue,” Kanyuka said in a post on X.
Although the allegations have not been verified by independent sources and the DRC government did not immediately respond to media inquiries, Kanyuka confirmed that Angola had invited both parties to direct talks, scheduled for Tuesday in Luanda.
Angolan President Joao Lourenco had called for a ceasefire starting Sunday at midnight, but there has been no response from either side to the ceasefire appeal.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has previously refused to meet with the M23, despite the group’s advances in eastern DRC, which has seen rapid territorial gains since the start of the year.
Following Tshisekedi’s recent visit to Luanda, direct peace negotiations were announced, with talks set to begin this Tuesday.
The M23 has captured major cities in the eastern DRC, including Goma and Bukavu, both of which are located near the Rwandan border and are rich in natural resources.
The M23 is reported to be supported by approximately 4,000 Rwandan soldiers, according to UN experts.
