Overview

• The August 18 target for a final accord passed without agreement, stalling the Qatar‑mediated talks, though Doha says both sides still express willingness to continue.
• M23 says it will not fully re‑engage unless the Doha Declaration is implemented, stressing prisoner releases as a prerequisite rather than a negotiation point.
• A Qatar‑proposed draft seen by AP would restore state authority in rebel‑held areas; M23 confirmed the draft’s authenticity, while Belgium’s foreign minister said President Félix Tshisekedi finds the text unsatisfactory.
• Human Rights Watch reports at least 140 civilians were summarily killed in July near Virunga, with total deaths possibly exceeding 300 and most victims identified as Hutu; the group urges expanded sanctions and independent access, and M23 denies responsibility.
• An Amnesty International briefing documents gang rapes, abductions and summary executions by M23 and government‑aligned Wazalendo militias and urges accountability measures as fighting persists after M23’s capture of Goma and Bukavu earlier this year.