US sees ceasefire in Congo holding through country’s presidential elections

The Biden administration is increasingly confident that a pact it brokered to deescalate fighting in eastern Congo will hold through the country’s elections — a key step toward preventing a larger conflict between Congo and Rwanda.

Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed rebels have clashed in eastern Congo with increasing frequency since May, worrying U.S. officials that the violence would lead to a direct confrontation between the two countries. Over the last month, top officials from the National Security Council and the intelligence agencies helped broker a series of agreements that led to a pause in fighting.