38 M23 rebel fighters surrender to Congolese army in eastern DRC

Almost 40 members of the M23 rebel group have surrendered in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, military officials said on Monday.

The fighters who turned over their arms were reportedly civilians, soldiers and police officers who had been kidnapped and forcibly conscripted when the cities of Goma and Bukavu were captured by M23 earlier this year.

The fighters surrendered in North Kivu province, Kalehe and South Kivu and included two officers. An army commander called on other rebels to follow suit.

Last week, the DRC and M23 agreed to set up an oversight body for a potential permanent ceasefire in the decades-long conflict. The agreement was signed in Doha after mediation by Qatar.

That builds on a declaration of principles signed in July that would restore state authorities in eastern Congo.

The Rwanda-backed M23 is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups fighting for control of the DRC’s mineral-rich east.

The conflict has displaced 7 million people, leading to what the United Nations has called "one of the most protracted, complex and serious humanitarian crises on Earth."