Malawi has directed its military to prepare for withdrawal from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group has intensified attacks, the office of President Lazarus Chakwera announced.

The Malawian troops are part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission deployed in 2023 to support the Kinshasa government in stabilizing the conflict-ridden, mineral-rich region.

“President Chakwera has ordered the Malawian Defence Force commander to begin preparations for withdrawal… to honour the declaration of a ceasefire,” a statement from the presidency said late Wednesday. The move is also aimed at facilitating “planned negotiations towards a lasting peace,” it added.

The timeline for the withdrawal remains unclear.

The SADC force, estimated to be around 1,300 troops, is primarily led by South Africa, with contributions from Tanzania and Malawi.

On Tuesday, M23 announced a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire just days after capturing the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu. However, intense fighting erupted at dawn on Wednesday between M23 forces, supported by Rwanda, and the Congolese army, according to security and humanitarian sources.

M23 and Rwandan forces reportedly seized Nyabibwe, a mining town about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, and 70 kilometers from the provincial airport.

Efforts to broker peace continue, with leaders from the 16-member SADC and the eight-nation East African Community set to meet on Saturday. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame are expected to attend, following previous absences.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council will convene an emergency session on Friday to address the escalating conflict, which has already claimed at least 900 lives and left 2,880 wounded in Goma, according to UN humanitarian reports.

International observers have raised concerns over a growing humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC as violence persists.