The Latest Breaking News from Democratic Republic of Congo

Pope Francis will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan early next year, the Vatican said on Thursday, after having to cancel a planned trip to the two countries in July because of health problems.

A fresh round of EAC-led talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and armed militia operational in the eastern DRC has opened in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi without, however, the presence of the M23 Tutsi rebel group that Kinshasa says is being supported by Kigali.

Democratic Republic of Congo said it will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Dec. 20, 2023, kicking off a year of complex preparations in the vast Central African country, large parts of which are overrun by militia violence.

Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 rebel group on Friday said it wants to talk directly with the government after Congo's president and other African leaders signed a ceasefire deal aimed at stopping attacks by the militia.

For nearly three decades, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been embroiled in violence. Millions of people have been killed, and an estimated 5.6 million others displaced by civil wars, local feuds and cross-border conflicts.

Hundreds marched in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern city of Goma on Thursday to protest against an agreement between African leaders to stop attacks by M23 rebels, saying it does not tackle Rwanda's alleged backing of the group.

Leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and other countries in East Africa have called for a ceasefire in the eastern DRC from Friday evening, as well as the immediate withdrawal of the M23 rebel group.

Uganda's army said on Monday it will send 1,000 troops to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo by the end of this month to join a regional force mandated to help end decades of instability.

Cups in hand, dozens of children stood patiently in line for porridge and a slice of bread distributed at a camp for people fleeing the latest M23 rebel offensive in east Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya's former President Uhuru Kenyatta called on Wednesday for urgent intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where fighting between the army and M23 rebels has flared again in the last week causing hundreds to flee their homes.

Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia formally launch a trilateral alliance to co-operate on forest preservation after a decade of on-off talks.