DR Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the ceasefire agreed upon between the army and armed groups on July 5th has been extended by 2 weeks. According to local reports, following mediation talks held in the United States, conflicting parties in the DRC have agreed to extend the ceasefire. Under this decision, which aims to allow displaced people to return home, the ceasefire declared on July 5th has been prolonged for an additional 2 weeks. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, expressed satisfaction with the ceasefire decision. Human rights advocates highlight that the conflicts intensified in the eastern part of the country have led to numerous human rights violations, including murder, arrests, and sexual abuse targeting women and children. The renewed attacks by the M23 Movement in eastern DRC since November 2021 have displaced thousands of civilians in the region and sparked a crisis between Rwanda and the DRC. The DRC has accused Rwanda of attempting to occupy its mineral-rich territories, including gold, coltan, and cobalt, for its own interests, as well as supporting M23 rebels. Rwanda denies these allegations.