The M23 gang, backed by Rwanda, claims to have started to evacuate the occupied Congo town
Rwanda’s support In an effort to assist peace initiatives supported by the United States, M23 rebels have started to evacuate from the town of Uvira in eastern Congo, according to their leaders on Wednesday. They pledged to finish the withdrawal by Thursday.
Social internet videos alleged to depict the army movements, with fighters in military fatigues carrying weapons and traveling in a convoy at twilight. No independent verification of the footage was done by Reuters.
After announcing the withdrawal earlier this week, M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma told Reuters that the rebels had begun the process “for the sake of peace.”
In a post on X, M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa urged citizens to maintain their composure and stated that the pullout will be completed on Thursday.
Uvira locals said they would find out in the morning, but they were unable to verify whether the rebels had completely left their positions in the town.
“I can see automobiles moving, but we’ll need to wait until daylight to make sure they’ve departed. “Our hopes have been crushed, and they have already made a lot of fuss about their withdrawal for nothing,” a resident, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said.
Doubt Regarding M23 Pullout
Late Monday, the rebels announced their intention to leave the area in support of Qatari and U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to broker a settlement in the protracted conflict between the rebels and Congolese government forces.
Less than a week after the presidents of Rwanda and Congo met with Trump in Washington to reiterate their commitment to the Washington Accords peace deal, M23 arrived in Uvira, close to the Burundian border, earlier this month. The town’s capture has drawn criticism from the United States for endangering mediation efforts.
The pullout will be a “unilateral trust-building measure in order to give the Doha peace process the maximum chance to succeed,” according to Corneille Nangaa, heads of the Congo River Alliance, which includes M23, who made the announcement on X Monday.
However, the declaration of a pullout from Uvira was criticized by Congo’s communications minister Patrick Muyaya as a “diversion,” claiming it was an effort to relieve pressure on Rwanda, which Western powers, the UN, and Kinshasa accuse of supporting the rebels. denying support for M23 in Rwanda.
When locals claimed that rebels were still present in Uvira earlier on Wednesday, Muyaya told Reuters, “The goal is to divert the American mediation team, which is getting ready to take action against Rwanda.”
An inquiry was not answered by a representative of the Rwandan government.
According to Sylvain Ekenge, a spokesman for the Congolese army, violence is still going on every day throughout the eastern region affected by the crisis.
Ekenge told Reuters, “There isn’t a day without fighting in North Kivu and South Kivu,” alluding to the provinces where M23 launched a spectacular assault this year.
Rwanda has denied allegations of aiding M23 and accused Burundian and Congolese forces for the most recent uptick in violence. Rwanda insists its troops are in eastern Congo for what it describes as defensive actions.
