Congo Rebels Announce Ceasefire as Peace Talks Near.
The Congo River Alliance declared a humanitarian ceasefire Tuesday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The group includes M23 rebels backed by Rwanda.
UN reports show 900 people died and 2,880 suffered injuries during recent battles around Goma, Congo's main eastern city. The rebels seized control of Goma last week.
G7 nations and the EU condemned the rebel advance as an attack on Congo's sovereignty. The alliance accused Congo's military of killing civilians through airstrikes on rebel-held areas.
The rebels pledged to stop their expansion, reversing last week's threats. The alliance said, "We remain committed to protecting civilians and defending our positions. "
Fighting has forced over 400,000 people from their homes since January, the UN refugee agency reports. The three-year conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands more.
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame gave CNN an unclear answer about his troops in Congo. "I don't know many things. But Rwanda faces problems in Congo and must protect itself - that's 100% true," he said Monday.
Human rights groups want stronger action against Rwanda. Congo's communications minister, Patrick Muyaya, called for international sanctions. "We need firm steps to stop Rwanda's actions," he told Reuters. "Sanctions should be the minimum response."
Both presidents will attend peace talks on Friday in Tanzania. Past negotiations failed several times last year. With 30 years of regional conflict, any new peace deal could take months to reach.
The Congo River Alliance declared a humanitarian ceasefire Tuesday in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The group includes M23 rebels backed by Rwanda.
UN reports show 900 people died and 2,880 suffered injuries during recent battles around Goma, Congo's main eastern city. The rebels seized control of Goma last week.
G7 nations and the EU condemned the rebel advance as an attack on Congo's sovereignty. The alliance accused Congo's military of killing civilians through airstrikes on rebel-held areas.
The rebels pledged to stop their expansion, reversing last week's threats. The alliance said, "We remain committed to protecting civilians and defending our positions. "
Fighting has forced over 400,000 people from their homes since January, the UN refugee agency reports. The three-year conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands more.
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame gave CNN an unclear answer about his troops in Congo. "I don't know many things. But Rwanda faces problems in Congo and must protect itself - that's 100% true," he said Monday.
Human rights groups want stronger action against Rwanda. Congo's communications minister, Patrick Muyaya, called for international sanctions. "We need firm steps to stop Rwanda's actions," he told Reuters. "Sanctions should be the minimum response."
Both presidents will attend peace talks on Friday in Tanzania. Past negotiations failed several times last year. With 30 years of regional conflict, any new peace deal could take months to reach.
