The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have agreed to halt fighting in the east of the country until peace talks mediated by Qatar reach their "conclusion". It is the latest truce since the rebels stepped up an offensive in eastern DR Congo where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January.

Felix Tshisekedi of Congo had long said his country would not negotiate with the Rwanda-backed militia, making the joint agreement a rare bright spot in the conflict.

The long-running conflict worsened in January after M23 launched a major attack that killed more than 700 people.