East African Regional Force (EACRF) soldiers and M23 rebels walk on the National Road 2 in Kibumba in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on December 23, 2022. DR Congo's M23 rebels met soldiers from a regional military force to hand over a strategic frontline position near the eastern city of Goma. PHOTO | GLODY MURHABAZI | AFP
The guns have fallen silent in North Kivu, giving respite to civilians who have spent most of 2022 running for cover.
But the combatants are still raring to resume fighting if their bases are attacked, even if by a third party, something fuelled by comments by prominent civil society groups opposed to the deployment of the regional force.
