Congo's Tshisekedi unsurprised as 'terrorist' M23 rebels withdraw from peace talks

Record ID: 1984893

  • Title: Congo's Tshisekedi unsurprised as 'terrorist' M23 rebels withdraw from peace talks
  • Date: 21st March 2025
  • Summary: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA (MARCH 21, 2025) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO PRESIDENT, FELIX TSHISEKEDI, EMBRACING GUEST AT NAMIBIAN PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION EVENT AUDIENCE SITTING TSHISEKEDI LOOKING TOWARD STAGE VARIOUS OF NAMIBIAN PRESIDENT, NETUMBO NANDI-NDAITWAH, SITTING ON STAGE AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French/English) DEMOCRATIC
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: armies conflict congo democratic government m23 military namibia peace politics rebels republic rwanda security war
  • Location: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
  • City: WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA
  • Country: Namibia
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001068021032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi said he was unsurprised on Friday (March 21) following rebel group M23's withdrawal from scheduled peace talks, labelling them as "a terrorist movement".
    Speaking on the sidelines of Namibia's presidential inauguration in Windhoek, Tshisekedi characterised M23 as a destructive force more interested in causing harm than in constructive dialogue, highlighting the ongoing tensions in eastern Congo despite recent diplomatic efforts to broker peace.
    The conflict, rooted in the fallout from Rwanda's 1994 genocide and competition for mineral riches, is eastern Congo's worst since a 1998-2003 war that drew in multiple neighbouring countries and resulted in millions of deaths.
    With troops from Congo, Rwanda and Burundi having all participated in fighting this year, a conflict that has simmered for years is evolving into a wider regional war, experts say.
    (Production: Siyabonga Sishi, Cooper Inveen)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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