Malawi orders troops to prepare withdrawal from eastern Congo

PHOTO CAPTION: A Malawi Defense Force soldier keeps his sights downrange during a final exercise to conclude a pre-deployment Malawi Battalion Training Course in Malawi. (U.S. Africa Command photo via Flickr)

BLANTYRE (Reuters) - Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has ordered defense forces to begin preparations for a withdrawal of its troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a statement said on Wednesday.

The Malawi troops are part of a contingent of soldiers from the Southern African regional bloc deployed in Congo to help it tackle armed insurgents. The bloc extended the military mission late last year.

"President Chakwera has ordered the MDF (Malawi Defense Force) commander to begin preparations for the withdrawal of Malawian troops... to honour the declaration of a ceasefire by the warring parties there and to pave way for their planned negotiations towards a lasting peace," the statement said.

A rebel alliance, which includes M23 fighters, has declared a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons starting on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Frank Phiri, Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Bate Felix)

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