M23 rebels: ready to withdraw from occupied areas in eastern Congo

Congo's M23 rebel group is ready to withdraw from occupied territory in the east of the country and will lend its support to regional peace-making efforts despite not being represented in talks, it said in a statement on Tuesday. The group requested a meeting with the East African Regional Force to discuss modalities and renewed its request for a meeting with the mediator and facilitator, Kenya's ex-president Uhuru Kenyatta, who facilitated talks in Nairobi this week.

Congo's M23 rebel group is ready to withdraw from occupied territory in the east of the country and will lend its support to regional peace-making efforts despite not being represented in talks, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The group requested a meeting with the East African Regional Force to discuss modalities and renewed its request for a meeting with the mediator and facilitator, Kenya's ex-president Uhuru Kenyatta, who facilitated talks in Nairobi this week. It also confirmed its commitment to a previously agreed ceasefire.

The M23 has staged a major come-back in east Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year, gaining ground despite push back from Congolese forces. The fighting has uprooted thousands of civilians. "The M23 reiterates its readiness to the direct dialogue with the DRC Government in order to find a lasting solution to the root causes of the conflict," said spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka in the statement.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)