Regional bloc says soldiers to stay until December 8 as local opposition grows to peacekeepers and tensions between DRC and Rwanda simmer. East African leaders have agreed to extend the mandate of a regional military force deployed to quell violence in the strife-torn east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An EAC statement issued on Tuesday after a summit in Nairobi said the heads of state had agreed to extend the duration of the mandate for the regional force to December 8, pending an evaluation report. The EAC force has taken over some areas previously occupied by M23 but has so far failed to end the conflict. Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of seeking “to occupy our land, rich in gold, coltan and cobalt, for their own exploitation and profit” and urged the international community to condemn Kigali.

Source: The North Africa Journal September 06, 2023 10:01 UTC