Codeco, whose full name is Congo Economic Development Cooperative, is one of the deadliest militia groups operating in eastern DR Congo.

It was blamed for last month’s slaughter of around 50 civilians in a mining area.

The group's decision to end hostilities was made on Monday following talks in Ituri province that brought together representatives of various ethnic groups, including leaders of the Lendu community that is linked to the rebels.

“Codeco is going adhere to [the] peace process…we hope that from today peace will be back in our province,” Célestin Tawara, a representative of the Lendu community was quoted as saying by the army.

The truce came as army chiefs from the states that make up the East Africa Community met in Goma town to decide on a regional force to fight militia groups in eastern DR Congo.

It is not yet announced when the force will start operations against rebel groups that will reject an offer to lay down their arms.

More than 100 local and foreign groups operate in South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri provinces. They have destabilised the region for more than two decades.