Kenya's President William Ruto chaired a summit for the East African Community (EAC) heads of state to discuss the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC).

DRC has been embroiled in a conflict, with the resurgence of the M23 rebel group bringing renewed attention to Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the M23 movement.

Presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa) clashed on Wednesday after the latter linked Rwanda's defence forces to the ongoing war in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame has criticized the efforts by the East African Community and the international community as a whole for failing to resolve the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.

President Paul Kagame has insisted that the M23 rebel group is not from Rwanda as widely claimed.Speaking during Tuesday's East African Community (EAC) Heads of State summit, Kagame stated that they are from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that President Felix Tshisekedi himself has previously admitted to this.

President William Ruto took a bold step to address the escalating conflict and deteriorating situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ruto appealed to DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to heed the call for peace from the people of EAC and the international community.

In April 2022, EAC leaders met in Nairobi, Kenya, and agreed to establish a regional force to be deployed in eastern DRC to facilitate dialogue between the warring parties. While the DRC government and the rebels agreed to a ceasefire, tensions persisted.

The scene is the result of the invasion of Goma on January 27th by M23, an armed group under the control of Rwanda, Congo’s neighbour, which abuts the city. Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, has escalated a crisis whose origins go back decades.

Gunfire broke out before dawn Monday in the centre of the besieged Congolese city of Goma, after the Democratic Republic of Congo accused neighbouring Rwanda of sending more troops across the border to help allied fighters capture the provincial capital.

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has vowed to restore government authority in the east, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized much of the city of Goma and are reportedly advancing south to seize more territory.

As an East African bloc urged an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma extended their advance on Wednesday, and Congo said it planned a campaign to recover lost territory.

The war for Goma was the most recent episode of combat in eastern DRC, a volatile region plagued by regional rivalries, ethnic tensions, and armed group battles for more than three decades