M23 rebels backed by Rwanda say they plan to pull out of Uvira, a key eastern Congolese city they captured last week, even as violence continues to spread across the region despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Corneille Nangaa, head of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition that includes M23. He said the United States requested the move and described it as a “unilateral trust-building measure” intended to support ongoing peace efforts.
In a statement, the alliance urged that Uvira be demilitarized and called for safeguards for civilians and public infrastructure. It also proposed monitoring the ceasefire through the deployment of a neutral force. The statement did not clarify whether the withdrawal would proceed if those conditions are not met.
Residents in Uvira, however, disclosed that M23 fighters were still present in the city as of Tuesday.
The rebels swept into Uvira last week after launching a fast-moving offensive earlier this month. Regional authorities say the fighting has killed more than 400 people and forced roughly 200,000 others to flee their homes.
The latest escalation has happened in spite of a peace accord signed in the United States earlier this month by the presidents of Congo and Rwanda under U.S. mediation.
Last week, the U.S. accused Rwanda of breaching that agreement by supporting a fresh and deadly rebel campaign in eastern Congo. U.S. officials warned that the Trump administration would act against “spoilers” undermining the deal.
M23 was not a party to the U.S. agreement and is instead holding separate talks with the Congolese government. Although the group agreed to a ceasefire earlier this year, both sides have accused each other of repeated violations. The deal nonetheless commits Rwanda to ending support for armed groups such as M23 and to working toward de-escalation.
The rebels’ advance has also brought the conflict dangerously close to Burundi, which has stationed troops in eastern Congo for years. That proximity has fueled concerns about a wider regional conflict, AP reported.
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Since December 8, at least 30,000 Congolese have crossed into Burundi, according to the Burundian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Authorities have also reported shells landing in Rugombo, a town just across the border.
Congo, the United States, and the United Nations experts all accuse Rwanda of backing M23. U.N. estimates indicate the group has expanded dramatically, growing from a few hundred fighters in 2021 to about 6,500 today.
Eastern Congo remains crowded with armed factions competing for control of mineral-rich territory near the Rwandan border. More than 100 groups are active in the area, with M23 among the most prominent. The prolonged violence has produced one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies, displacing over 7 million people, according to the U.N. refugee agency.
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