Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame called for a ceasefire in eastern Congo on Tuesday during their first meeting since M23 rebels stepped up an offensive there in January.

The presidents of Congo and neighboring Rwanda have met in Qatar for their first direct talks since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in mineral-rich eastern Congo earlier this year.

Belgium, Rwanda’s former colonial ruler, pushed for the European Union to impose sanction against Rwandan officials over their role in invading eastern Congo and plundering its mineral wealth.

Residents of occupied Bukavu, one of eastern Congo's largest cities, voiced disappointment on Tuesday (March 18) as M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, pulled out of peace talks with the Congo government.

(Reuters) - Rwanda-backed M23 rebels said on Monday that they had withdrawn from planned peace talks aimed at resolving a spiralling conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the EU imposed sanctions on its leader and on Rwandan army commanders.

The Rwanda-backed rebels who captured key areas of Congo’s mineral-rich east say they have withdrawn from planned peace talks with the country’s government in Angola.