THE Rwanda-backed militia who captured key areas of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern region said they were withdrawing from peace talks with the Congolese government this week.

The M23 group said on Monday that international sanctions on the group’s members have undermined such dialogue.

According to spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka, the talks scheduled to start in the Angolan capital of Luanda on Tuesday “have become impracticable” as a result of the sanctions announced by the European Union against some of its members.