DR Congo ceasefire mission deployed, sources say

UN and government sources told AFP that a mission to verify a fragile ceasefire between Democratic Republic of Congo's army and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group was deployed to eastern DR Congo on Monday.

The sources said the mission, made up of military experts from member countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, was flown by UN helicopters to Minembwe in South Kivu province. The area has seen intense clashes in recent months.

The deployment followed a Swiss government statement on Sunday saying DR Congo and M23 had agreed on a roadmap for peace talks after negotiations in Switzerland.

The talks were held behind closed doors from August 17 to August 21 and included representatives from the United States, Qatar, Switzerland, the African Union Commission and Togo, which served as African Union mediator.

The Swiss statement said the two sides agreed on the importance of a standardised method for reporting alleged ceasefire violations. It also said they agreed to set up a mechanism to review progress and address challenges in implementing obligations and commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement.

Eastern DR Congo has faced decades of conflict involving multiple armed groups. M23 seized more territory in the region last year. DR Congo and M23 signed a US-brokered peace agreement late last year in Doha, but fighting has continued.