M23 rebels announce the start of their withdrawal from the city of Uvira in Congo after U.S. pressure
The M23 rebel group, which seized the Congolese city of Uvira last week, announced the start of a withdrawal process, confirming that the full withdrawal would take place on Thursday in response to pressure exerted by the United States.
The eastern Congo-based M23 group occupied the vital city of Uvira, located on the border with Burundi, just days after the signing of a “historic” peace agreement negotiated by the Congolese and Rwandan governments under U.S. sponsorship in Washington, aimed at ending the long-standing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
However, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stated that the withdrawal announcement is “misinformation” and that it needs to be verified.
The occupation of Uvira led to American condemnation and possible sanctions against Rwanda, as the United States accuses Rwanda of providing support to the rebels—allegations that Rwanda denies.
M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa stated on Wednesday that the withdrawal was “underway,” with group spokesperson Willy Ngoma adding that the measure is intended to “serve peace.”
In a post on “X,” Bisimwa called on mediators and international partners to keep the city protected from “reprisals, violence, and remilitarization.”
A member of the local civil society, who requested anonymity for his safety, reported that some M23 soldiers have begun to withdraw. However, he added that some police officers belonging to the same group are still moving within the city.
Another resident expressed skepticism regarding the withdrawal process. “It seems they are still here. In fact, I noticed yesterday (also) their arrival to transport police vehicles,” the resident told the BBC on Thursday.
Democratic Republic of the Congo government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, speaking to the BBC Newsday program, explained that the M23 announcement was intended to “distract the American mediator team, which is the team penalizing Rwanda.”
Muyaya described M23’s decision to withdraw from Uvira as a “positive sign,” but noted that the government needs to confirm what is actually happening on the ground.
Over the past few weeks, Muyaya had emphasized the need for “scrutiny” regarding the “alleged withdrawal.”
“Who will verify this? Where are they going? How many were there? What are they leaving behind in the city? Mass graves? Soldiers disguised as civilians?” he asked in a post on “X.”
The attack on Uvira claimed the lives of dozens of people, injured at least a hundred, and forced more than 200,000 people to flee their homes, according to UN data. At least 30,000 civilians fled to Burundi.
The seizure of Uvira occurred despite the signing of the peace agreement on December 4, which included the signatures of Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi at a ceremony held in Washington and attended by President Donald Trump.
M23 was not among the parties to the signed peace agreement, but it was part of a secondary peace process led by Qatar, an ally of the United States and Rwanda.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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