Congo and rebel groups agree a 3-day cease-fire ahead of the presidential vote

Congo’s security forces and rebel groups have agreed on a 72-hour cease-fire to de-escalate tensions in the country’s eastern region near the border with Rwanda, the White House announced just days before Congo’s presidential election.
The agreement was backed by both Congo and Rwanda, Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said in a statement Monday.
It said the agreement includes the withdrawal of forces occupying the locality of Mushaki and the RP1030 road in eastern Congo. The region has struggled with violent conflict for decades and armed groups fight either for control of mineral resources or to defend their communities. The most prominent is the M23 rebel group with links to Rwanda.