The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group has announced its intention to withdraw its forces from the city of Uvira, a strategically important point in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The capture of this city last week caused a humanitarian catastrophe and jeopardized the US-brokered peace agreement. This is reported by Associated Press, writes UNN.
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Corneille Nangaa, leader of the "Congo River Alliance" (which includes M23), called this decision a "unilateral confidence-building measure." According to him, the withdrawal of troops is at Washington's request to resume the peace process. In their statement, the rebels also called for the complete demilitarization of Uvira and the deployment of neutral forces to monitor the ceasefire.
Despite the official statement of the group's leaders, local residents reported on Tuesday that the militants still remain in positions in the city. It also remains unclear whether the withdrawal of forces is unconditional, or whether the rebels are waiting for their demands for neutral control to be met.
The offensive on Uvira became one of the bloodiest stages of the conflict: according to regional authorities, more than 400 people died during the assault, and about 200,000 civilians were forced to leave their homes. The escalation occurred despite the agreements signed by the presidents of Congo and Rwanda in Washington in early December.
International observers fear that without a real withdrawal of troops and the involvement of peacekeepers, the situation in eastern Congo could escalate into a full-scale regional war.