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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 26360, member: 2262"] The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo has slammed the door shut on any talks with M23 rebels in a dramatic power play that sent shockwaves through the region. The government unleashed a blistering statement defending national sovereignty against what they call terrorist puppets controlled by neighboring Rwanda. Kinshasa officials blasted the rebel group as an "empty shell" manipulated by foreign powers, dismissing them as illegitimate actors serving Rwandan interests rather than Congolese citizens. The fierce accusations against Rwanda have cranked up the already boiling tensions between these fierce rivals, with Kigali repeatedly denying any involvement despite mounting suspicions. Instead of direct negotiations, the DRC demands that M23 must bow to the Nairobi Process, a regional peace framework established by East African Community nations. This hardline stance comes amid bloody clashes that have raged across eastern Congo since 2021, forcing countless terrified civilians to flee their homes in desperate attempts to escape the violence. The scorching rejection from Congo's leadership threatens to ignite even more intense fighting in a region already devastated by conflict. United Nations and African Union peace efforts hang by a thread as diplomatic relations between DRC and Rwanda crumble under the weight of mutual distrust and hostility. Military confrontations between Congolese forces and M23 fighters seem destined to intensify, promising more suffering for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. The fate of this explosive situation rests heavily on regional diplomats from the East African Community, United Nations, and African Union, who face the monumental challenge of preventing a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe in one of Africa's most troubled regions. [/QUOTE]

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