M23 Rebels Withdraw From Peace Negotiations With DRC

(The Post News)- The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have withdrawn from the peace negotiations with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that were to be held at the Angolan capital Luanda following the European Union sanctions on some of its leaders.

The M23, which has taken over DRC’s eastern mineral mines, has accused some international institutions of “deliberately sabotaging peace efforts,” referring to the recent sanctions by the European Union (EU). According to M23, the successive sanctions imposed on their members, including the ones that were adopted the night before the peace talks discussions, have severely “compromised direct dialogue” and prevented any possible advancement.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has asserted that the M23 rebels are supported by over 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda, which had previously threatened to march to Kinshasa. However, Kinshasa, on the other hand, has promised to partake in the talk despite the M23’s absence.

In a statement released on Monday, the office of the DRC presidency reaffirmed that the negotiations were on track, stating that delegates of the DRC for direct negotiations with M23 were already in Luanda.

According to the statement, the M23 delegation was also expected to arrive in the Angolan capital on Monday, further noting that all the prerequisites had been established for the expected commencement of direct negotiations on March 18.