The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have accused each other of breaching a ceasefire agreement reached last month in Doha, raising fears of renewed large-scale conflict in the country’s east. The Congolese army claims M23 is carrying out near-daily assaults on its positions, while the rebels allege that Kinshasa is reinforcing troops and deploying heavy weapons in violation of the accord.

Peace talks, scheduled to resume in Doha, have been postponed, with neither party currently at the table. M23 says it has not been invited and demands the release of detained members before joining negotiations. The United States and Qatar are mediating efforts to revive dialogue, aiming to create conditions for stability in the mineral-rich region.

M23 continues to hold control over key areas, including the major city of Goma. Rwanda denies direct involvement in the rebel group’s operations, insisting its forces act only in self-defense against perceived threats from the Congolese army and Hutu-aligned militias.

On the same day as the renewed accusations, the United States announced sanctions against the armed group PARECO-FF, Congolese mining company CDMC, and Hong Kong-based exporters East Rise and Star Dragon. Washington says the measures are aimed at curbing illicit mineral trading and weakening armed groups that threaten peace and stability.

The conflict has escalated over the past year, with M23 seizing major cities such as Goma and Bukavu earlier in 2025, displacing tens of thousands of civilians. A United Nations report in July found that Rwanda had exercised significant control over M23, providing troops, training, and advanced military support. The same month, the UN recorded 319 civilian deaths in Rutshuru territory attributed to M23 fighters, figures the group disputes.

Adding to the instability, the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces, an affiliate of the Islamic State group, has carried out massacres in the north, including a late-July attack in Komanda that killed dozens of civilians, among them children.

With peace talks on hold, sanctions targeting armed networks, and violence spreading across multiple fronts, eastern Congo faces a volatile and uncertain future.