Malawi plans to withdraw troops from eastern DRC following a declared ceasefire, but M23 rebels have resumed their offensive toward Bukavu. President Chakwera will discuss the crisis at a regional summit.

Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has directed the defense forces to initiate preparations for the withdrawal of Malawian troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a statement released on Wednesday.

The Malawian troops are part of a military contingent deployed by the Southern African regional bloc to support the Congolese government in addressing armed insurgencies. The bloc had extended its military mission in the region late last year.

The statement explained that President Chakwera has instructed the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) commander to begin preparations for the troop withdrawal. The decision aligns with the declaration of a ceasefire by the warring parties and is intended to facilitate their planned negotiations toward a lasting peace.

A rebel alliance that includes M23 fighters had declared a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons starting on Tuesday. However, according to Reuters, the M23 armed group launched a new offensive on Wednesday as it resumed its advance toward Bukavu, a city with a population of one million people.

President Chakwera is scheduled to attend a joint summit of the eight-country East African Community and the 16-member Southern African Development Community in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday.

Meanwhile, several of Congo’s neighboring countries have stated that they are strengthening their defenses in response to the ongoing crisis.