The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace deal aimed at ending the long-running conflict in the region at a summit hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington, according to a BBC report.

Ahead of the summit, there has been an escalation in fighting in resource-rich eastern DR Congo between government forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda.

DR Congo’s army accused its rivals of attempting to “sabotage” the peace process, but the M23 rebels said the army had launched an offensive in breach of a ceasefire.

At the start of the year, the M23 seized large parts of eastern DR Congo in an offensive that saw thousands killed and many more forced from their homes.

Trump got the two countries’ foreign ministers to sign a peace accord in June, hailing it as a “glorious triumph”.

Tshisekedi and Kagame will now endorse it, with several other African and Arab leaders – including those of Burundi and Qatar – expected to attend the signing ceremony.