Addis Ababa, — The M23 rebels announced a ceasefire “for humanitarian reasons” on Monday, following two weeks of intense fighting with the Congolese army for control of the city of Goma.

In response to the announcement, Congolese authorities called for “concrete actions” and the withdrawal of the M23 armed group from Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province.

“We need to see concrete actions. What this truly means is proving that this is not a cosmetic solution,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, in an interview with South African news channel Newzroom Afrika, regarding the unilateral ceasefire declared by the M23 rebels.

On Monday, the M23 rebels announced a ceasefire starting from February 4, 2025, “for humanitarian reasons,” after two weeks of intense fighting with the Congolese army for control of Goma.

“For humanitarian solutions to be found and humanitarian access to be restored, Goma must first be demilitarized,” Wagner added, calling for the immediate withdrawal of both M23 rebels and Rwandan forces.

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner also stated that the M23 rebels and Rwandan forces had cut off the water and electricity supply, as well as all access roads leading to and from Goma.

Meanwhile, Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya described the M23’s unilateral ceasefire announcement as “misleading communication.”

“All we are waiting for is the withdrawal of the M23,” Muyaya said.

According to the United Nations, more than 900 people have been killed and 2,880 others injured in the recent clashes.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has frequently denied accusations that his country supports the M23 rebels.

When asked on Monday during an interview with CNN if Rwandan troops were present in Eastern DR Congo, Kagame responded, “I don’t know.” “You’re the commander-in-chief,” the CNN journalist then remarked, to which Kagame replied, “There are many things I don’t know. But if you ask me whether there’s a problem in Congo that concerns Rwanda, and if Rwanda would do everything to protect itself, I would answer 100% yes.”

The March 23 Movement (M23) was formed in 2012 by dissident Congolese military personnel. After a brief rise in power, it was defeated in 2013 by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by the UN peacekeepers (MONUSCO). However, the M23 resumed fighting in 2022, seizing several areas in the North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda and Uganda.

Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of actively supporting the M23 to gain access to the region’s mineral wealth. These accusations are supported by reports from UN agencies, which point to Rwandan military support for the rebel movement. For DR Congo, the M23 is considered a “terrorist” group, and any form of negotiation is categorically rejected.

Rwanda denies these allegations, asserting that the M23 is a Congolese movement led by Congolese people, even though its members speak Kinyarwanda, the Rwandan language. Kigali also rejects the conclusions of the UN reports, pointing out that it disarmed M23 rebels who had sought refuge in Rwanda in 2012-2013 before handing over their weapons to Congolese authorities.

For Kigali, “the M23 issue is a security threat for Rwanda.” “Because of the constant association of M23 with Rwanda, DR Congo has built a large military coalition with Burundian soldiers, European mercenaries, Wazalendo militias, and genocidal FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, Ed.),” claimed Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe in an interview with Africa 24.

According to Nduhungirehe, these alliances are part of a strategy aimed at overthrowing the Rwandan government.