Hope grew over the weekend for peace in eastern Congo as several key groups showed they wanted to talk instead of fight. The M23 rebels pulled back from Walikale town, which led both Congo and Rwanda to make positive statements about peace.
The Congolese army told everyone on Saturday evening that M23 forces had left Walikale, an important town where minerals pass through in North Kivu. Army spokesperson General Sylvain Ekenge said on TV that government troops and their Wazalendo militia friends should stop attacking to help peace talks succeed.
This marked a big change from earlier that week when heavy fighting made people worry the conflict might spread toward Kisangani. Rwanda's government released a statement Sunday saying they liked what they saw happening with both M23 moving troops and Congo stopping attacks.
For years, Congo and many international groups have said Rwanda helps M23, though Rwanda always says no. These matching statements from both countries surprised experts who study the region because these governments rarely agree on anything after years of blaming each other.
M23 announced on March 22 that they decided to leave Walikale because of the ceasefire they started last month. They claimed this move would make talks easier and protect regular people living there. Some experts wonder if outside pressure on Rwanda caused this pullback.
The fighting has paused for the moment, but careful watchers stay cautious. Congo's government still calls M23 terrorists, and past ceasefires broke down quickly. These new steps bring a tiny bit of hope to an area suffering through violence and forced movement for many years.
No official peace agreement exists yet, and small fights keep happening elsewhere in North Kivu, making everything feel shaky. Groups from Africa plan to push harder soon to make sure the ceasefire sticks and to get everyone back to talking instead of shooting.
The Congolese army told everyone on Saturday evening that M23 forces had left Walikale, an important town where minerals pass through in North Kivu. Army spokesperson General Sylvain Ekenge said on TV that government troops and their Wazalendo militia friends should stop attacking to help peace talks succeed.
This marked a big change from earlier that week when heavy fighting made people worry the conflict might spread toward Kisangani. Rwanda's government released a statement Sunday saying they liked what they saw happening with both M23 moving troops and Congo stopping attacks.
For years, Congo and many international groups have said Rwanda helps M23, though Rwanda always says no. These matching statements from both countries surprised experts who study the region because these governments rarely agree on anything after years of blaming each other.
M23 announced on March 22 that they decided to leave Walikale because of the ceasefire they started last month. They claimed this move would make talks easier and protect regular people living there. Some experts wonder if outside pressure on Rwanda caused this pullback.
The fighting has paused for the moment, but careful watchers stay cautious. Congo's government still calls M23 terrorists, and past ceasefires broke down quickly. These new steps bring a tiny bit of hope to an area suffering through violence and forced movement for many years.
No official peace agreement exists yet, and small fights keep happening elsewhere in North Kivu, making everything feel shaky. Groups from Africa plan to push harder soon to make sure the ceasefire sticks and to get everyone back to talking instead of shooting.
