Fighting erupts in eastern DRC marking an end to ceasefire; M23 take control of Kalembe

According to residents in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s north Kivu region, Fighting erupted early Sunday between M23 rebels and government-allied militia, leaving more than a dozen civilians wounded.

M23 then claimed they had seized the town of Kalembe.

The fighting marks the end to an Angola-mediated ceasefire deal between the Congolese army and the M23, a group allegedly supported by Rwanda, that was agreed in August.

But peace discussions between Kinshasa and Rwandan authorities have since ground to a halt; fresh discussions are to be held in the coming days.

Rwanda deems the Hutu extremist group, FDLR, in eastern DRC a to be a danger to its frontier.

The M23 rebels, mainly composed of Tutsi fighters, have taken swathes of territory in eastern DRC after their offensive began 3 years ago.

Millions have been forced from their homes as a result of the fighting;

The violence has also triggered a humanitarian crisis, with the north Kivu region hit particularly hard. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, 13.7 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance.