The United States welcomed a two-week humanitarian truce in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the White House announced on Thursday, amid fierce fighting between government forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The conflict in North Kivu province has displaced over 1.7 million people, pushing the total number of displaced individuals in Congo to a record 7.2 million, according to United Nations estimates.
The White House announced that the truce, starting at midnight local time on Friday and lasting until July 19, will cover areas where the conflict has the greatest impact on civilian populations.
“The recent escalation of fighting in North Kivu has hindered humanitarian workers from reaching hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) around Kanyabayonga and has displaced more than 100,000 people from their homes,” stated National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
Watson stated that the governments of the DRC and Rwanda have voiced their support for the truce “to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable populations and create conditions for a broader de-escalation of tensions in eastern DRC.” The statement added that the United States calls on all parties to respect the truce.
For over two years, North Kivu has been contending with the M23 insurgency and other militia violence.
Congo, along with the United Nations and Western powers, has consistently accused Rwanda of backing M23 with troops and weapons, allegations that Rwanda denies.
Rwanda alleges that Congo provides financial support and fights alongside the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel group that has targeted Tutsis in both countries.
In response, M23 asserts that it is defending Tutsis from groups like FDLR, which consist of Hutu extremists who fled to Congo after their involvement in the 1994 genocide, targeting Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.