In an attempt to curb ongoing violence in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a monitoring mission has been dispatched, led by Qatar and comprising members from the DRC government, M23 rebels, and observers from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The mission is tasked with verifying violations of the ceasefire agreement signed in July 2025 in Doha, Qatar. Despite a formal truce between the DRC's army and M23 rebels, who are allegedly backed by Rwanda, fighting has persisted on the ground. The mission will be visiting Minembwe, located in the mineral-rich South Kivu province, where intense fighting has been reported recently. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) is providing logistical support for the deployment. The mission's itinerary includes visits to Uvira, from which M23 withdrew in January, and Kalehe, where recent fighting has been reported. The DRC and M23 agreed on a roadmap for peace talks after closed-door negotiations on Sunday, following accusations of backing the M23 rebels by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi's signing of a "historic" peace and economic agreement in December. However, ongoing fighting continues to mar efforts towards lasting peace, with both sides accusing each other of abuses and ceasefire violations. The DRC has condemned alleged M23 "crimes and serious rights violations," claiming that the group killed over 300 people in June and July. The M23 has rejected these accusations, with a spokesperson stating that government forces launched a deadly attack with artillery on a village near Minembwe.