The leader of Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo said on Thursday that a call by Kinshasa and Kigali for an immediate ceasefire "doesn't concern us" as his forces pushed deeper into Congolese territory by capturing the strategic town of Walikale.

Rwanda-backed rebels battling Congo’s army have pushed into a strategic, mineral-rich town in the east, ignoring calls for a ceasefire this week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents as the M23 rebel group expands its footprint in the conflict-torn African country.

Group cites unilateral ceasefire that it declared on Feb. 22 and need to create favorable conditions for dialogue to resolve conflict in Congo - Anadolu Ajansı