KINSHASA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) on Friday accused the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group of violating a ceasefire proposed by Angola, saying the group launched attacks in several eastern areas earlier this week, causing civilian casualties.
According to an FARDC statement, between Wednesday and Thursday, M23 fighters carried out attacks on multiple FARDC positions in North Kivu Province and on several villages in neighboring South Kivu Province, despite a ceasefire proposed by Angolan President Joao Lourenco.
The army accused the M23 of undermining ongoing peace efforts and said it would continue to abide by the ceasefire arrangement proposed by Angola.
Angola, which has served as a key mediator in the DRC crisis since 2022, proposed on Feb. 11 that a ceasefire between the DRC government and the M23 rebel group take effect on Feb. 18.
In a statement released on Feb. 13, the DRC presidency said President Felix Tshisekedi agreed to the proposal "in a spirit of responsibility and de-escalation" to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict, reaffirming Kinshasa's commitment to regional stability.
The M23 rebel group accused the DRC government on Thursday of launching attacks against civilians in the Hauts Plateaux region of South Kivu.
The M23 seized the eastern city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, in January 2025, and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, the following month. In recent weeks, clashes have been reported in multiple areas of North Kivu and South Kivu, according to local sources. ■