The M23 group of the alliance of rebel groups in the eastern part of the DRC, known as the Congo River Alliance declared a unilateral ceasefire for humanitarian reasons in a statement on Monday. The ceasefire will start on Tuesday, 4 February.

The alliance stated that it had no intention of capturing other areas of DRC such as Bukavu. It also condemned the Congolese military, FARDC (Forces d’Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo) for continued use of military aircraft at Kavumu Airport, where they allegedly “load bombs that kill their compatriots in liberated areas.” The alliance further urged SAMIDRC (Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) to withdraw its forces from the DRC. The SAMIDRC was deployed by the Southern African Development Community in December 2023 to support the government of DRC in restoring peace in eastern DRC.

Concerning declarations of ceasefire or armistice during armed conflict, Article 15 of the Geneva Convention of 1949 on Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field states that “whenever circumstances permit, an armistice or a suspension of fire shall be arranged, or local arrangements made, to permit the removal, exchange, and transport of the wounded left on the battlefield.” While a ceasefire does not represent an end to conflict or hostilities, it is a temporary suspension of hostilities that offers the opportunity for humanitarian aid to be relayed to those in need of it.

The ceasefire comes after months of conflict and a week after the M23, one of the rebel groups supported by Rwanda, took over the eastern DRC city of Goma. The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights states that the humanitarian violations occurring in DRC and perpetrated by the rebels include civilian killings in IDP camps, summary executions, sexual violence, and forced labor.