The M23 rebels who took control of Goma, a key city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, announced a unilateral ceasefire on Monday for humanitarian reasons, following calls for a safe corridor for aid and displaced people. The ceasefire is set to begin on Tuesday.
The announcement came shortly after the U.N. health agency reported at least 900 fatalities in the recent fighting between the rebels and Congolese forces in Goma, according to AP.
The city, with a population of 2 million, remains under rebel control and is located in a region with substantial mineral wealth.
The M23 rebels have been reported to be gaining ground in other areas of eastern Congo and advancing towards another provincial capital, Bukavu. 
However, the rebels said on Monday that they do not intend to seize Bukavu, despite earlier ambitions to march on Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, which is a thousand miles away.
M23 rebel spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement:
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It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However, we reiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions.
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The M23 rebels are supported by approximately 4,000 troops from neighbouring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts.
This is far more than in 2012 when they briefly captured Goma before withdrawing under international pressure.
The M23 is one of over 100 armed groups in Congo’s east, which is rich in minerals critical to global technology.
M23 claims to be defending ethnic Tutsis in Congo. Rwanda has said Tutsis are being persecuted by Hutus and former militias responsible for the 1994 genocide of 800,000 Tutsis and others in Rwanda.
Many Hutus fled to Congo after the genocide and formed the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda militia group. Rwanda has said this group is “fully integrated” into the Congolese military, which denies the charges.

Pindula News

A rebel group called M23 in Congo announced a ceasefire to help people in need. They have control of the city Goma and are supported by Rwanda. The rebels say they won't take over other places but will protect civilians. The United Nations says there have been deaths in recent fighting. The rebels are fighting because they say they are protecting Tutsis. Rwanda and Congo have a long history of conflict. The rebels have a lot of troops and control valuable minerals.

Rwandan-backed Rebel Group M23 Declares Ceasefire In DRC For "Humanitarian Reasons"

Ukraine has rejected a 36-hour ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin to mark Orthodox Christmas.
Ukraine said there will be no ceasefire until Russia removes all its invading forces from all occupied land.
Putin ordered his defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, to introduce a temporary ceasefire along the entire line of contact in Ukraine for Orthodox Christmas from midday on Friday to midnight on Saturday.
The order, addressed to Shoigu and published on the Kremlin’s website, read in part:
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Taking into account the appeal of his holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the minister of defence of the Russian Federation to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact of the parties in Ukraine from 12.00 on 6 January 2023 to 24.00 on 7 January 2023.
Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day.
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However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly video address, said Russia had called for a ceasefire in order to re-equip its troops. He said:
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They now want to use Christmas as a cover, albeit briefly, to stop the advances of our boys in Donbas and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilised troops closer to our positions.
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Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security and defence council, accused Russia of “hiding behind a Christian holiday”. He said:
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There is a simple solution: they pick up their suitcases, pick up their trash and go to Russia. That’s it.
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In a tweet, Danilov said the Kremlin has no moral authority to call for a ceasefire to celebrate Christmas. He said:
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What does a bunch of little Kremlin devils have to do with the Christian holiday of Christmas?
Who will believe an abomination that kills children, shells maternity homes, and tortures prisoners?
</blockquote>
Many Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on 6-7 January because they use the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar that is used in the West. | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/05/putin-orders-36-hour-truce-in-ukraine-for-orthodox-christmas">The Guardian</a>

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