DR Congo, M23 armed group sign ceasefire deal in Qatar

Members of the M23 armed group board a pickup truck as they leave to carry out a patrol from their position in Goma on January 29, 2025. [AFP]

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed armed group M23 signed  a ceasefire deal on Saturday to end fighting that has devastated the country's mineral-rich but conflict-torn east.

The truce was agreed in a Declaration of Principles signed by the two sides after three months of talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, which follows a separate Congolese-Rwandan peace deal signed in Washington last month.

"The Parties commit to uphold their commitment to a permanent ceasefire," including refraining from "hate propaganda" and "any attempt to seize by force new positions", a statement said.

The African Union hailed it as a "significant development", adding: "This... marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, and stability in eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region".

The M23, which seized vast swathes of mineral-rich territory in eastern DRC in a lightning offensive in January and February, had insisted on seeking its own ceasefire deal with Kinshasa.

It said the Washington deal left out various "problems" that still needed to be addressed.

The warring parties agreed to open negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement.

The deal also includes a roadmap for restoring state authority in eastern DRC.

Eastern DRC has been racked by conflict for more than three decades, creating a humanitarian crisis and forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Thousands were killed in the M23 offensive earlier this year, which saw the group capture the key provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.

The front line had stabilised since February, but fighting was still breaking out regularly between the M23 and multiple pro-government militias.