April 24 (UPI) — The Presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo announced a cease-fire between its government and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.

“By mutual agreement, both parties reaffirm their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities, the categorical rejection of all hate speech and intimidation, and call on all local communities to respect these commitments,” both said in a press release Wednesday.

The peace agreement followed talks enabled by Qatar, whose Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted to X Thursday that it “encourages both parties to continue this dialogue in a constructive spirit, working towards an agreement that aligns with the aspirations of the Congolese people for peace and development.”

The two sides had first met in Qatar in March, and both expressed gratitude Wednesday “to the State of Qatar for its continued efforts and unwavering commitment to facilitating these peace talks, which contribute to advancing dialogue and promoting mutual understanding.”

The truce if successful could bring peace to eastern DRC, where 7,000 people have been reportedly killed since January.

Conflict in the mineral-rich region has been active between the DRC government and the M23 since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, but it was in January that M23 fighters captured the city of Goma, where the United Nations then declared a humanitarian crisis in February.

It is unclear how long or successful this current ceasefire may be, and there have been several arranged since 2021, but none so far have lasted.