"Kabila was sentenced in absentia for alleged collaboration with the Rwanda-backed rebel group, M23, which launched lightning offensives in January this year and seized swaths of territory, including the strategic eastern hub of Goma. The group's advance resulted in more than 3,000 deaths and the displacement of close to a million people."
"The sentencing comes as the DRC government and representatives of the M23 rebels continue to engage in slow-moving peace negotiations, which have been mediated by Qatar since July. There are concerns, however, that Kabila's sentencing could further hamper those talks and deepen a wide political divide in the troubled central African country. The DRC has been in the throes of a decades-long conflict, which escalated in January."
Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia by a high military court on charges including treason, war crimes, conspiracy and organising an insurrection in alleged collaboration with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. The M23 launched lightning offensives in January, seized swaths of territory including the strategic eastern hub of Goma, and its advance resulted in more than 3,000 deaths and the displacement of close to a million people. Slow-moving peace negotiations between the DRC government and M23 have been mediated by Qatar since July. There are concerns that Kabila's sentencing could undermine those talks and deepen an existing political divide with President Felix Tshisekedi. Sporadic violence continues despite reduced fighting amid talks.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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