The M23 has withdrawn from the peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo that were scheduled for Tuesday, in Luanda, Angola.

It follows a series of events on Monday that includes the European Union announcing sanctions against members of the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) and the leader of the M23, among others.

Earlier in the day, Rwanda announced it was severing diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing it of wrongfully mobilising the international community to accuse of and condemn Kigali for the conflict in DRC. It gave the Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.

In a seemingly retaliatory action a few hours later, the EU, headquartered in Brussels issued restrictions against Bertrand Bisimwa, the political head of the M23, accusing him of leading an armed group to commit atrocities against civilians in the DRC.

Similar measures were announced against Major General Ruki Karusisi (also known as Rocky), a member of the Rwandan army, for his role as commander of the Special Forces Command.

Gen Rocky was last week recalled and replaced by newly-promoted Brigadier Stanislas Gashugi to head the SFC which is said to be operating Eastern DRC, reports Kigali had refuted.

“The RDF presence constitutes a violation of the territorial integrity of the DRC and sustains the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the region,” says the statement by the Council of the European Union.

The statement says, therefore, that the commander (former) is directly responsible for sustaining the conflict, insecurity and instability in the region.

Sanctions were also slapped on Francis Kamanzi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board because he presides over an agency that benefits from and fuels the illicit mining activities within the rebel-controlled areas.

Similarly, the Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali has also been placed under sanctions on accusations of being the main market of illicit gold from DRC, refining and exporting it.

John Bosco Nzabonimpa Mupenzi, the Deputy Head of Finance and Production in the M23 movement, and Joseph Musanga Bahati, the M23 governor of North Kivu.

A day before President Paul Kagame had spent time lashing at Belgium over its involvement in most crises in Rwanda since the dawn of colonialism more than 130 years ago.

While speaking at the BK Arena in Kigali, Kagame said that the problem was that they were colonised by a small country which ended up ceding territories to make the colony small too.

“As Rwanda, we had the misfortune of being colonized by a small country, Belgium, which went as far as dividing our nation to make it seem small, just like they are. I have never hesitated to call it out. We condemned it long ago, and we will continue to do so today,” he told the citizens.

Announcing their suspension from the talks mediated by Angola, the Congo River Alliance (Alliance Fleuve Congo) coalition led by M23 accused “certain international institutions” of deliberately undermining peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and obstructing the much-anticipated talks.

“Successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those enacted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, severely undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible,” the statement said, adding, “This incomprehensible and ambiguous stance only encourages Mr Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo to continue with his warmongering program.”

AFC/M23 also called on the “International and National Community” to the “warmongering campaign of the coalition forces of Kinshasa regime through multiple ground attacks and indiscriminate bombardments of densely populated areas as well as our positions, using fighter jets and CH-4 combat drones.”

They said that under those circumstances, the talks had become impracticable. 

“Consequently, our organisation can no longer continue to participate in the discussions.”

This also came as the joint EAC-SADC Meeting of Foreign Affairs in Harare, Zimbabwe, where they agreed to push for a ceasefire, protection of civilians and a political solution in the DRC conflict.