AFC/M23 rebels announce withdrawal from Uvira, citing progress in Doha framework
The rebel coalition said the decision followed "significant progress" under the Doha framework, including the signing of a peace agreement last month.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) says it will unilaterally withdraw its fighters from the eastern Congolese city of Uvira, presenting the move as a "trust-building measure" intended to give momentum to the Doha peace process.
In a statement dated December 15, the rebel coalition said the decision followed "significant progress" under the Doha framework, including the signing of a peace agreement last month.
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The group said it was acting "to give the Doha peace process the maximum chance to succeed in providing lasting solutions to the conflict".
AFC/M23 added that the pull-out had been requested by United States mediators.
It, however, warned against a repeat of past ceasefires, accusing the Congolese army (FARDC) and allied militias of exploiting previous withdrawals to retake territory and target civilians perceived to be sympathetic to the rebels.
To prevent that, the group called on guarantors of the peace process to ensure Uvira's demilitarisation, the protection of civilians and infrastructure, and the deployment of a neutral force to monitor the ceasefire. It also pledged not to allow armed groups hostile to neighbouring Burundi to use areas under its control as rear bases.
The announcement comes amid mounting international pressure on Rwanda, which Washington has accused of backing M23's latest offensive in violation of a U.S.-mediated peace accord signed last week by the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
That deal, concluded in Washington, obliges Kigali to halt support for armed groups operating in eastern Congo - even though M23 itself was not a signatory. Rwanda vehemently denies aiding M23.
Marco Rubio, America's Secretary of State, said Rwanda's actions amounted to "a clear violation" of the agreement, adding that the United States would "take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept".
M23's recent capture of Uvira - a strategic city near the Burundian border - has displaced roughly 200,000 people and heightened fears of a regional spillover.
The conflict in eastern Congo, fuelled by ethnic tensions and competition over mineral wealth, has already displaced more than seven million people, making it one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises.
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