Rwanda denies helping M23 and says its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, including from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

While leaders hail a recent peace deal between Rwanda and the DR Congo as a diplomatic breakthrough, observers say deep-rooted tensions and unresolved grievances remain major threats.The Rwandan and Congolese governments have lauded the recently signed peace agreement as a historic milestone to end fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.