Felix Tshisekedi of Congo had long said his country would not negotiate with the Rwanda-backed militia, making the joint agreement a rare bright spot in the conflict.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels agreed to a ceasefire in eastern DR Congo until peace talks mediated by Qatar reached their conclusion. This marked the latest truce since the rebels launched a major offensive in January,

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Wednesday pledged in statements released after talks in Qatar to work towards peace after violence flared in January, raising fears of a wider regional war.