The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have jointly pledged to halt fighting in the east of the country while they work towards a permanent truce. The surprise announcement follows the latest round of talks in Doha mediated by Qatar.
Each side released the same statement separately on Wednesday after their delegations left Qatar following more than a week of discussions.
Read on DR Congo national television and released by an M23 spokeperson, it said: "Both parties reaffirm their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities, a categorical rejection of any hate speech, intimidation, and call on local communities to uphold these commitments."
It described their talks as "frank and constructive" and said the "cessation of hostilities" would apply "throughout the duration of the talks and until their conclusion".
It was unclear if or when another round of talks would take place.
The text had been prepared since 17 April and was awaiting approval from Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. He gave the greenlight on Wednesday evening, RFI's correspondent in Kinshasa reported.
'Crucial step' towards ending violence
M23 has staged an unprecedented advance since January, seizing eastern Congo's two largest cities – Goma and Bukavu – in an assault that has killed thousands and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
More than six truces and ceasefires have been agreed and then collapsed again since 2021.
"This is a crucial step towards ending the violence," Maxime Prevot, Belgium's foreign affairs minister, said in a social media post. Rwanda is a former Belgian colony.
The latest peace push by Qatar comes after the Gulf state successfully brokered a surprise meeting last month between Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame. Both leaders called for a ceasefire after the meeting.
Tshisekedi and Kagame meet in Qatar for crisis talks on eastern DRC
The session apparently paved the way towards direct talks between Congo and M23. Congo had long rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group.
Rwanda in turn denies helping M23, saying its forces are acting in self defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed around 1 million people, mostly ethnic Tutsi.
Rwanda marks 1994 genocide amid tensions over M23 rebellion in DRC
The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda is supporting the rebels by sending troops and arms. A US envoy last week called on Rwanda to withdraw from DR Congo territory.
M23 withdrew from the Congolese territory of Walikale, a strategic mining hub, earlier this month. It described the move as a goodwill gesture ahead of planned peace talks with the government.
But on Wednesday a United Nations source told Reuters news agency that fighting in Walikale town had resumed.
(with newswires)
