M23 defies ceasefire agreement, continues offensive east of DR Congo

The captain of the M23 rebel group, Corneille Nangaa, appears to be going it alone. Despite the ceasefire agreement signed on Tuesday in Doha between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, the rebel leader has announced that the fighting will continue.

The former chairman of the Congolese electoral commission rejects any commitment linked to the Doha agreement and continues his military advance. On Wednesday, his troops took control of Walikale, a strategic town close to major gold and tin deposits.

"We have nothing left to lose. We will fight until our cause is heard", he told Reuters on Thursday.

While continuing to fight, Corneille Nangaa is awaiting the official conclusions of the Doha meeting.

Regarding a possible agreement between Kinshasa and the United States, he warned that "the Congolese people, who are sovereign, will block the way to this betrayal, to this deception".

At a time when the security situation remains explosive in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nangaa's attitude risks compromising ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Uncertainty remains over the actual application of the ceasefire and the next steps in the peace process.