Heavy fighting resumed on Sunday in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between government troops and rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23), despite the ceasefire agreement signed between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda since August 4, the Congolese news portal Actualite reported, citing the army command.
The fighting is taking place in the Lubero district of North Kivu province, the report said, adding that several major population centers in the northern part of the province are in the zone of intense fighting.
The fighting resumed after the third meeting of the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda in the Angolan capital of Luanda on August 22, aimed at reaching a peace settlement in eastern DRC, failed to make significant progress. Another meeting is scheduled for September 9-10.
The ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda was reached at the end of July this year as part of the Luanda Process, led by Angolan President João Lourenço, to mediate a solution to the ongoing conflict between the DRC army and M23 rebels, allegedly backed by neighboring Rwanda.