The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group announced Monday that it will withdraw from peace talks scheduled for Tuesday in Angola. The rebels had planned direct negotiations with the Democratic Republic of Congo's government to resolve the conflict in the country's east.
The Congo River Alliance of rebel groups, including M23, stated it was pulling out of talks due to sanctions imposed earlier in the day by the EU on M23 and Rwandan officials.
The rebel group coalition said in a statement that the EU actions were aimed at "obstructing the much-anticipated talks."
Rwanda also said that it was cutting diplomatic ties with its former colonial ruler, Belgium, with Kigali accusing Brussels of attempting to "sustain its neo-colonial delusions."
Rwanda announced on Monday that it had severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, giving Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.
Belgium's foreign affairs minister, Maxime Prevot, described the move as "disproportionate," adding that Brussels would declare Rwandan diplomats persona non grata.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi had previously refused direct talks with the M23 rebels, who have fought the government for over a decade. However, Tshisekedi announced last week that he was willing to meet with the M23 group after a meeting with his Angolan counterpart, who has acted as a mediator in the conflict.
Tina Salama, a spokesperson for Tshisekedi, stated that despite the M23's withdrawal, the government delegation would still travel to Luanda for the talks.
The M23 escalated its offensive earlier this year, and despite assertions by the US and UN experts, Rwanda has denied supporting the rebels.
M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups vying for control of the mineral-rich eastern Congo near the Rwanda border. The rebel group has seized two major cities in eastern Congo since fighting intensified earlier this year, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
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