Rwanda backed M23 rebels said they would pull out of the eastern Congolese town of Uvira following pressure from the United States, which warned that the group’s advance risked derailing fragile peace efforts in the region.
The announcement came days after M23 fighters moved into Uvira near the Burundi border, prompting sharp criticism from Washington and raising fresh concerns about stability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The withdrawal pledge followed remarks from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Rwanda’s actions in eastern Congo violated commitments made under the Washington Accords. Speaking on Saturday, Rubio said the United States would “take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept,” according to a statement carried by Reuters.
The seizure of Uvira occurred less than a week after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where both leaders publicly reaffirmed support for the U.S. mediated peace framework.
Rwanda has denied backing M23 and has instead blamed Congolese and Burundian forces for renewed clashes. However, a United Nations experts report released in July said Rwanda exercised command and control over the rebel group.
Corneille Nangaa, head of the Congo River Alliance which includes M23, said in a statement posted overnight on X that the group would withdraw from Uvira. He described the move as a “unilateral trust building measure” aimed at giving the Doha peace process the best chance to succeed.
M23 is not formally part of the Washington Accords talks but has taken part in parallel negotiations with the Congolese government hosted by Qatar.
A rebel source told Reuters that both M23 fighters and Congolese forces would move about five kilometers away from Uvira to form a buffer zone, a proposal the group had outlined publicly last week.
Despite the announcement, a civil society activist in Uvira told Reuters on Tuesday that rebel fighters were still present in the town. Congolese and Burundian authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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M23 launched a rapid offensive in January, capturing eastern Congo’s two largest cities in fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to humanitarian groups. Since then, the rebels have sought to establish parallel administrative structures in areas under their control.