M23 rebels withdraw from Congo peace talks, citing international sanctions

"Consequently, our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions," he added.

Congo's government, after initially rejecting such talks, said Monday it would participate in the dialogue in Angola. A delegation representing Congo already had traveled to Luanda for the talks, Tina Salama, the spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi, told The Associated Press.

M23 also had sent a delegation to Luanda, the group's spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said on the X platform on Monday.

The conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February.

Angola, which has acted as a mediator in the conflict, announced last week that it would host direct peace negotiations between Congo and M23 on Tuesday.

Peace talks between Congo and Rwanda were unexpectedly canceled in December after Rwanda made the signing of a peace agreement conditional on a direct dialogue between Congo and the M23 rebels, which Congo refused at the time.

"A dialogue with a terrorist group like the M23 is a red line that we will never cross," Tshisekedi had said during a speech to the diplomatic corps on Jan. 18.

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, in a conflict that has created one of the world's most significant humanitarian crises. More than 7 million people have been displaced.

The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, and at times have vowed to march as far as Congo's capital, Kinshasa, about 1,575 kilometers (978 miles) to the east.

The U.N. Human Rights Council last month launched a commission to investigate atrocities, including allegations of rape and killing akin to "summary executions" by both sides.

On Monday, Rwanda cut diplomatic ties with Belgium and ordered all its diplomats to leave, a month after Brussels suspended development aid to the East African country. Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Sunday accused Belgium of trying to destroy Rwanda.

International pressure is growing on Rwanda as the European Union sanctioned five Rwandan nationals, including the commander of Rwandan special forces deployed in eastern Congo on Monday. The EU also sanctioned four Congolese nationals, including the political leader of M23, Bertrand Bisimwa, and three other high ranking members of the rebel group.

Rwanda's only gold refinery, Gasabo Gold Refinery, also was sanctioned by the EU, which accused it of contributing to "illegal extraction and trafficking of natural resources" from eastern Congo.

Alongside gold, the region holds deposits of key minerals used in the production of smartphones and computers. Last year, the UN said M23 generated around $300,000 a month in revenue through its control of a mining area in eastern Congo.

The U.S. State Department said last week it was open to a mining partnership in Congo and has confirmed that preliminary discussions had begun.

On Sunday, Tshisekedi met with the U.S. special envoy to Congo, Rep. Ronny Jackson, to discuss potential security and economic partnerships.

"We want to work together so that American companies can invest and work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and for that we have to make sure there is a peace in the country," Jackson told reporters after the meeting.