Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has long ruled out dialogue with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels rampaging through eastern parts of his country, but a string of defeats and waning regional support have forced him think again.

Angola has acted as a mediator in the conflict in eastern Congo, which escalated in late January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and took control of the strategic eastern Congo city of Goma. In February, M23 seized Bukavu, eastern Congo’s second biggest city.

The question of peace between the M23 and Kinshasa is also the question of a ceasefire between Kigali and Kinshasa. Both have been elusive.

Democratic Republic of Congo is considering sending representatives to peace talks with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group that Angola plans to host next week, two government sources said on Thursday,

Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels will engage in direct negotiations in the coming days to end the conflict in the country’s mineral-rich east, according to the presidency of Angola, which will mediate the talks.

Democratic Republic of Congo is considering sending representatives to peace talks that Angola plans to host next week which would mark its first direct negotiations with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group,

Angola said on Tuesday it would attempt to broker direct talks between Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the coming days.

M23 fighters, backed by Rwanda, continue to advance into eastern DR Congo. While the rebels are outnumbered by the Congolese army, DW examines whether the military has the capacity to respond effectively.