Belgium, Rwanda’s former colonial ruler, pushed for the European Union to impose sanction against Rwandan officials over their role in invading eastern Congo and plundering its mineral wealth.

Belgium and Rwanda announced the expulsion of each other's diplomats, as relations deteriorated over allegations about their respective roles in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Kigali said it was severing diplomatic relations and giving Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the East African country,

Rwanda has cut diplomatic ties with Belgium, saying it has been "consistently undermined" by the European nation during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Brussels has been leading calls for European nations to sanction Rwanda over its support for the M23,

The Rwanda-backed rebels who captured key areas of Congo’s mineral-rich east say they have withdrawn from planned peace talks with the country’s government in Angola.

For years, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo demanded direct negotiations with Congolese authorities. Battlefield gains mean they can now afford to snub them to try to wring out more concessions.

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Monday pulled out of peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo's government less than 24 hours before the warring parties in eastern Congo's worst conflict in decades were due to convene in Angola.