The Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP), an armed group operating in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, announced on Thursday, May 14, that it would observe a unilateral ceasefire ahead of preliminary talks with the Congolese government under Ugandan mediation.
In a statement signed by CRP leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the group said the ceasefire would take effect at midnight on Thursday to create favourable conditions for the pre-dialogue process with authorities in Kinshasa.
The CRP also called on opposing forces to avoid any provocation that could escalate tensions in Ituri Province, stressing that the region had already suffered enough violence. There was no immediate response from the Congolese government.
The CRP has been active in Ituri Province, where government forces recently launched operations against the group in Djugu territory amid reports of clashes, displacement and insecurity.
Lubanga, a former militia leader, was convicted by the International Criminal Court in 2012 for war crimes linked to the recruitment and use of child soldiers. He was released in March 2020 after serving 14 years in prison.