(Bloomberg) -- M23 rebels said they aren’t bound by a cease-fire agreement signed this week between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, although they are ready to respect it.
Congo and Rwanda agreed to the truce in eastern Congo at a July 30 meeting overseen by Angola. Congo accuses Rwanda of backing a M23 rebellion in the region, which has displaced more than 1 million people. Rwanda denies the allegations.
In a statement on X, M23 said it “is not automatically bound by the conclusions of meetings” which it didn’t attend. While the rebels cautioned that Congo had used previous cease-fires to reorganize, they said they are “ready to respond positively to a change in the posture” of the government.
Congo’s government, which has declined to directly negotiate with M23, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
M23 says it is protecting the rights of the minority Tutsi group in Congo. United Nations experts said last month that the Rwandan Defence Force has provided at least 3,000 troops to support the group.
The US, EU and UN have all lauded the truce, which is due to come into effect on Aug. 4. On Wednesday, the UN said it is ready to support a “verification mechanism mandated to oversee the adherence to the cease-fire” through its peacekeeping force in the country.
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