A team from the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has arrived in the eastern town of Uvira to prepare for the deployment of a ceasefire-monitoring mission.
Eastern DRC has long faced instability, with renewed fighting after the M23 rebel group seized large areas and launched an offensive in December targeting Uvira, a strategic town in South Kivu near the Burundi border.
Following ceasefire efforts, the UN mission MONUSCO and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region deployed a joint exploratory team to assess security, logistics and operational needs ahead of a permanent monitoring mechanism.
The mission, scheduled to run through Friday, is described as a key step toward implementing a lasting ceasefire.
In January, M23 announced it had withdrawn its remaining fighters from Uvira, saying the move responded to a request from the United States, while the Congolese army said it had regained control of the town.
SOURCE: TRT AFRICA
