AFC/M23 Rebels Announce Unilateral Withdrawal From Captured City of Uvira in Eastern DRC
AFC/M23 Rebels Announce Unilateral Withdrawal From Captured City of Uvira in Eastern DRC
The decision to withdraw the forces of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) from the strategic city of Uvira, which it captured on December 10, is a confidence-building measure to support the ongoing Doha peace process, the group said in a statement.
However, the rebels—who are widely believed to be backed by Rwanda— attached conditions to their withdrawal, demanding security guarantees, the demilitarization of Uvira, protection for its civilians, and the deployment of neutral forces to monitor a ceasefire.
AFC/M23 is also ready to return the hundreds of Burundian soldiers captured in the DRC and unilaterally declare a ceasefire, according to a separate statement by the group.
Burundian troops were deployed to the DRC under a bilateral agreement with Kinshasa to fight rebels together.
The announcement follows significant international pressure, notably from the US, which is mediating the conflict.
The move creates a contradictory situation, as the capture of Uvira itself violated a US-brokered peace deal signed between the DRC and Rwanda on December 4. Clashes in the region are reported to be ongoing.
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