DRC government, rebels agree to ease travel for aid convoys, refrain from civilian attacks, US says

The representatives of the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the rebel coalition Alliance Fleuve Congo made progress on a protocol on humanitarian access and judicial protection, ceasefire oversight, and the release of prisoners, the U.S. State Department said on Saturday.During a meeting in Switzerland this week, the parties agreed to refrain from attacking civilians and to facilitate the passage of humanitarian personnel and humanitarian convoys, the State Department said in a joint statement with the DRC government and the rebel coalition.

Deportees From US Reach Congo
Meanwhile, the first migrants deported from the United States under a recent bilateral agreement arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo early on Friday, according to one of the migrants, a lawyer in contact with the group, and two airport sources.The plane carrying the deportees — from Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — landed in Kinshasa at around 1 a.m. (0000 GMT), flight tracking data showed.

A Colombian woman among the group, who spoke to Reuters, said there were 16 migrants — nine men and seven women. An airport source put the number of arrivals at 15.

Congo’s interior ministry and a spokesperson for the Congolese presidency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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