Qatar has hosted talks between the leaders of the two African states, who are at odds over a brutal rebel conflict

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, have agreed to pursue negotiations to end an escalating conflict in the Central African country, according to Qatar, which is acting as a mediator.

The two leaders met in Doha on Tuesday - their first direct talks since the return of hostilities driven by the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern provinces at the beginning of the year.

More than 8,500 people are said to have been killed in attacks on the Congolese army and its allies, with the militants seizing major cities, including the North Kivu capital, Goma, and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

According to a joint statement published by Qatar's Foreign Ministry, Tshisekedi and Kagame reaffirmed their commitment to an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire during the meeting led by Qatari leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

"The heads of state then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace," the ministry stated.

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The Doha meeting came after M23 rebels pulled out of direct peace talks with the DRC government due to be held in Angola on Tuesday, after the European Union announced sanctions on the group's leaders. Angola-mediated peace talks between the two African states were halted last December after Rwanda demanded that Kinshasa engage directly with the M23.

Relations between Kinshasa and Kigali have been strained due to the decades-long conflict in DR Congo's resource-rich east, where dozens of armed groups, including M23, are fighting the local authorities for power and minerals such as gold and diamonds. The Congolese government has accused the neighboring state of providing support to the M23 - a claim backed by a UN expert group. Rwanda has denied supporting the M23, insisting that its forces are only deployed on its borders with the DR Congo for security purposes.

The allegations have also sparked tensions between Kigali and some of its Western partners, including the UK, which recently suspended aid to Rwanda in response to the latest escalation of hostilities. On Monday, Rwandasevereddiplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing it of calling on Western nations to impose sanctions on Kigali. Brussels responded by also expelling Rwandan diplomats and canceling cooperation agreements with the former colony.

(RT.com)