DRC: Rebel forces declare humanitarian pause in Eastern Congo crisis

In the shadow of last week’s devastating assault that claimed 900 lives, M23 rebels have announced a unilateral ceasefire in eastern Congo. The declaration comes as aid organizations scramble to reach hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in and around Goma, a mineral-rich city of two million now under rebel control.

Behind the streets where families crowd morgues to identify loved ones, a complex web of regional politics unfolds. The rebels, backed by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops according to UN experts, have emerged as the dominant force among the hundred-plus armed groups vying for control of Congo’s resource-rich east.

The human cost weighs heavily. At one morgue, Chiza Nyenyezi weeps for her son, killed by a single bullet. Nearby, Louise Shalukoma describes how a bomb prevented the immediate recovery of her fourth child’s body from the streets, as reported by apnews.

While the rebels have tempered earlier threats to march on distant Kinshasa, regional leaders are rushing to prevent further escalation. A joint summit of southern and eastern African blocs looms, with both Congolese and Rwandan presidents expected to attend.

The conflict’s roots stretch back to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, with ethnic tensions still shaping today’s violence. As G7 nations call for renewed negotiations, the question remains: will this ceasefire hold where others failed?