Fighting Eases in DR Congo Following Ceasefire Proposal
Last update: February 19, 2026
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Government troops and M23 fighters report calm on key front lines but uncertainty remains over withdrawal...
Fighting between government troops and the Rwandan-backed M23 force in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has tailed off following a ceasefire proposal from mediator Angola, military and security sources confirmed on Thursday.
The east of the country, bordering Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, has been a conflict zone since 2021.
M23 made major advances in early 2025, capturing key cities including Goma and Bukavu along with large areas of territory.
Days after Rwanda and the DRC signed a US-brokered peace deal in Washington late last year, the M23 seized another major city, Uvira, drawing an angry response from the United States.
CBI News reports that Angola, which is also mediating the conflict, proposed a ceasefire to the DRC and Rwanda from last Wednesday. Kinshasa said it accepted the proposal in principle, though it did not confirm the start date.
The M23, however, accused the government of using delaying tactics and manipulation to avoid serious efforts to resolve the conflict.
On Thursday, local and security sources said the front line at Minembwe in South Kivu was calm, with M23 fighters having left their positions.
But one local official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that it was unclear whether this amounted to a full withdrawal.
Security sources described a similar situation along other sections of the front line.
Since the resurgence of the M23 in 2021, at least half a dozen ceasefires and truces have been agreed, only to later collapse.
