A ceasefire monitoring mission has begun work in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the first field deployment under a Qatar-mediated peace process between Kinshasa and the Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 rebel alliance.
The mission deployed on Monday to Minembwe in South Kivu province, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks despite efforts to consolidate a ceasefire.
Its arrival represents another step in the implementation of the peace framework signed by the Congolese government and AFC/M23 in November 2025. The agreement laid out a path toward a broader settlement and established arrangements for monitoring violations of the ceasefire.
Minembwe has recently become a flashpoint between rebel and government forces, with both sides repeatedly accusing the other of breaching the truce.
On Monday, AFC/M23 accused Congolese forces of shelling a village near Minembwe, saying the attack caused civilian casualties and forced residents to flee. Congo’s armed forces did not immediately respond to the allegation.
The deployment comes amid signs of renewed diplomatic activity after months of limited progress in the Doha negotiations.
Representatives of the Congolese government and AFC/M23 met in Switzerland last week and agreed on a new roadmap for further negotiations, raising hopes that the Qatar-led process could regain momentum.
The Doha talks began after AFC/M23 launched a major offensive in eastern Congo last year, capturing the region’s two largest cities and expanding its control across large parts of the mineral-rich east.
Earlier this month, Congolese authorities released 15 prisoners and handed them over to AFC/M23 in the first known prisoner transfer carried out under the peace arrangement.
The Qatar-led process is taking place alongside separate U.S.-mediated negotiations between Congo and Rwanda. Washington has sought to reduce regional tensions while encouraging Western investment in eastern Congo’s vast mineral resources.
Despite the diplomatic push, AFC/M23 continues to control extensive territory in eastern Congo, and recurring clashes have underscored the fragility of the ceasefire.
The deployment of monitors in Minembwe will provide an early test of whether the mechanisms agreed in Doha can reduce violations on the ground and help move the parties toward a comprehensive peace agreement.