The rebel coalition Congo River Alliance (AFC), which includes the M23 group, has announced a ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), citing humanitarian reasons, according to a statement published by the Kivu News 24 portal.
Despite recent advances, AFC leadership clarified that they have no intention of capturing Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province. Currently, M23 forces are positioned 60 km north of the city. The group also declared they have no plans to seize additional towns or villages in the region.
However, the AFC has demanded the withdrawal of Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces, which include troops from Malawi, Tanzania, and South Africa. According to reports from Daily Maverick, SADC forces have ceased combat operations after the fall of Goma last week and are now confined to their bases, facing shortages of food and clean water. The rebels have so far refused to provide humanitarian aid to the SADC contingents.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue as DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are set to attend a joint summit of the SADC and the East African Community (EAC) in Tanzania's capital, Kenya’s presidential office said. The combined SADC-EAC summit, scheduled for February 7-8, will focus on the conflict in eastern Congo.