DR Congo rejects any dialogue with M23: defense minister

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) late Thursday rejected any dialogue with the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group, as the latter claimed earlier to be "open to direct dialogue."

"I have ordered that all plans and instructions concerning an alleged dialogue with M23 terrorists be completely burned immediately," said Guy Kabombo, defense minister of DRC, while addressing the armed forces.

The M23 announced earlier in the day that it was willing to dialogue with the DRC government after claiming to have taken control of Goma, an important city in eastern DRC.

Corneille Nangaa, political leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a politico-military group allied to the M23, made the remarks at a press conference held in downtown Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, a regional hub. Nangaa said the M23 and the AFC "are open to direct dialogue" between "us and the regime."

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi vowed late Wednesday a "vigorous response" to the advances of the M23. In his address on national television, Tshisekedi said, "A rigorous response is underway" to reclaim every inch of the DRC territory.

On Thursday, in Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, Tshisekedi received French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who is also the envoy of French President Emmanuel Macron. Both sides did not provide specific details of the meeting.

Barrot then arrived in Rwanda on the same day. Due to the M23 issue, Rwanda's relations with the DRC are on the brink. Last Saturday, the DRC government announced the recall of its diplomats from Rwanda and asked Rwandan diplomats to cease all consular activities within 48 hours.

The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, an accusation Rwanda denies. Kigali accuses the DRC army of supporting and collaborating with remnants of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a group allegedly responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Peace efforts by multiple regional groups have been set in motion to avoid escalation of hostilities in the eastern DRC, as the M23 is reportedly nearing Bukavu, the capital of the nearby South Kivu province.