DR Congo violence escalates as Geneva peace talks resume

In a renewed bid to halt a grinding conflict that has ravaged eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, government representatives and delegates from the M23 rebel movement convened in Geneva, even as clashes drift into hard-to-reach highlands where danger grows and past ceasefire attempts have repeatedly unraveled.

This ninth round of talks seeks to chart a path out of the fighting in the east, now focused on North Kivu and South Kivu. There, M23 has captured swaths of territory while the Congolese army, backed by its allies, works to regain control and stem further advances.

Humanitarian agencies report they must negotiate security guarantees from armed groups to reach communities caught in the crossfire, with some factions barring relief workers from passing through contested zones.