U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi Thursday to sign a long-awaited peace agreement aimed at ending decades of bloodshed in eastern Congo.
The White House called it a “historic breakthrough.” On the ground, many Congolese call it another false dawn.
Celebration in DC, Fighting in DRC
While leaders smiled for cameras in Washington, heavy combat continued around Kamanyola and Kaziba for the third straight day. In Goma, motorcycle taxi driver Alexia Kasereka spoke for millions: “They sign papers today, but the bullets didn’t stop this morning. We’ve seen this movie before — the war always comes back.”
The Missing Player: M23 Rebels
The Washington accord binds only Rwanda and DRC governments. M23 rebels — widely seen as Rwanda-backed and controlling large parts of North Kivu were not at the table and are not bound by the deal. They continue separate talks in Qatar with no ceasefire in sight.
3,000–4,000 Rwandan Troops Still Inside Congo
Military sources estimate thousands of Rwandan soldiers remain deployed alongside M23, making any quick withdrawal unlikely despite diplomatic promises.
Hope vs Hard Reality
Some Congolese welcome any step toward peace after years of horror. But most in the east say they’ll believe it when the shooting stops and when foreign troops actually leave.
For now, the ink is dry in Washington, but the war rages on in the hills of Kivu.
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