The DR Congo government and the M23 group fighting in the east of the country have been presented a draft peace proposal following a round of negotiations in Qatar, a source with knowledge of the talks said on Thursday.

Qatari mediators "have presented a peace proposal to both parties and asked them to consult with their leadership before returning... to continue the negotiations," the source told AFP.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of talks, added the "latest round of negotiations" in Doha had seen both sides "engaging on the core issues underlying the conflict."

M23 fighters, who UN experts and the United States say have received military support from Rwanda, have made rapid advances in the eastern DRC since January, seizing key cities and vast areas of territory in fighting that has killed thousands.

Several ceasefires violated

Resource-rich eastern DRC, bordering Rwanda, has been plagued by violence for 30 years, which has seen a resurgence since the return of the M23 at the end of 2021.

About half a dozen ceasefires and truces have been signed and violated by the warring parties since 2021.

Qatar and the United States have since stepped in as mediators in the crisis between DRC and Rwanda.

The source described an upcoming phase as "crucial" with the DRC and M23 preparing for further talks "facilitated by the Qataris that aim to resolve the remaining differences."

Peace deal

Discussions were being coordinated "with the United States and the African Union", the source added.

Rwanda said in May that a final peace deal to end the crisis would be signed in mid-June in Washington.

Earlier in the month, US special envoy for Africa Massad Boulos said on X that he had received "draft text on a peace proposal" by the DRC and Rwanda.

Rwanda has denied military support for the M23 but says its security has long been threatened by armed groups in eastern DRC, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda created by former Hutu leaders linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Since its 2021 resurgence, the M23 has seized swathes of the eastern DRC, displacing hundreds of thousands of Congolese and triggering a widespread humanitarian crisis.