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 Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have agreed to halt fighting in the east of the country until peace talks mediated by Qatar reach their "conclusion". It is the latest truce since the rebels stepped up an offensive in eastern DR Congo where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January.