GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Rwanda-backed M23 rebels announced Tuesday they will withdraw from Uvira, the strategic eastern Congolese city they captured last week in an offensive that has killed more than 400 people and displaced 200,000 despite a U.S.-mediated peace agreement signed earlier this month.
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance which includes M23, characterized the withdrawal as a “unilateral trust-building measure” requested by the United States to facilitate the peace process. The statement called for demilitarization of Uvira, protection of its population and infrastructure, and ceasefire monitoring through deployment of a neutral force.
The announcement did not clarify whether M23’s departure depends on implementing these conditions. Uvira residents said Tuesday that rebels remained in the town.
M23 seized control of the city following a rapid offensive launched at the month’s beginning. Regional officials say more than 400 people have been killed and approximately 200,000 displaced in the fighting.
The rebel advance persists despite a U.S.-brokered peace agreement signed in Washington earlier this month by Congolese and Rwandan presidents. The United States last week accused Rwanda of violating the accord by supporting the new rebel offensive in mineral-rich eastern Congo, warning that the Trump administration will take action against “spoilers” of the deal.
The agreement did not include M23, which negotiates separately with Congo and agreed to a ceasefire earlier this year that both sides accuse the other of violating. However, the accord obligates Rwanda to halt support for armed groups like M23 and work toward ending hostilities.
The rebel thrust into Uvira brought conflict to the border of neighboring Burundi, which has maintained troops in eastern Congo for years, heightening fears of broader regional escalation. Around 64,000 refugees from Congo have arrived in Burundi since early December, the U.N. refugee agency reported. Shells have reportedly fallen in Rugombo, a town on the Burundian side of the border.
Congo, the United States, and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which has expanded from hundreds of members in 2021 to approximately 6,500 fighters, according to United Nations assessments.
More than 100 armed groups compete for control in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the Rwandan border, with M23 the most prominent. The conflict has generated one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, displacing more than 7 million people, the U.N. refugee agency stated.
The timing of M23’s withdrawal announcement, coming days after their capture of Uvira created international condemnation and accusations of peace deal violations, suggests diplomatic pressure is affecting rebel calculations. Whether the pledge represents genuine de-escalation or tactical repositioning remains uncertain given the conditional language in the statement and continued rebel presence in the city as of Tuesday.
Uvira’s strategic importance stems from its location on Lake Tanganyika and its position controlling transportation routes connecting the mineral-rich interior with regional markets. The city serves as a critical commercial hub and has changed hands multiple times during eastern Congo’s decades-long conflicts, making any withdrawal significant for regional stability.
The rebel offensive occurred just weeks after the Washington peace agreement was heralded as a breakthrough in resolving the conflict. The rapid violation underscores challenges in implementing diplomatic accords when key actors—in this case M23itself—are excluded from negotiations. The agreement’s effectiveness depends on Rwanda honoring commitments to withdraw support for armed groups, something Kigali has consistently denied providing despite substantial evidence.
The 400 deaths and 200,000 displaced since early December represent a dramatic escalation that threatens to unravel months of diplomatic efforts. The displacement figure equals roughly the population of Salt Lake City forced from their homes in just weeks, illustrating the massive humanitarian toll of the offensive.
The 64,000 refugees flooding into Burundi create burdens for a country already struggling with poverty and limited resources. Burundi’s military presence in eastern Congo complicates the situation, as the offensive brings M23 forces into direct proximity with Burundian troops, raising prospects of confrontation between national armies that could dramatically widen the conflict.
Reports of artillery shells landing in Rugombo on Burundian territory represent a dangerous expansion of hostilities across international borders. Such incidents risk triggering Burundian military responses that could transform a Congolese internal conflict into a multi-national war.
M23’s growth from hundreds to 6,500 fighters in just four years, as U.N. experts document, reflects either massive recruitment success or substantial external support. The allegations of Rwandan backing gain credibility when examining this rapid expansion, which would be difficult to achieve through local recruitment alone in a region where numerous armed groups compete for fighters and resources.
The exclusion of M23 from the Washington peace agreement creates a fundamental structural problem. While the accord commits Rwanda to withdrawing support, M23 itself made no commitments and continues operating under its own command structure. This disconnect allows the rebel group to pursue military objectives while technically not violating an agreement it never signed.
The conditional nature of the withdrawal announcement—calling for demilitarization, population protection, and neutral force deployment—suggests M23 seeks guarantees before relinquishing control of strategically valuable Uvira. Whether Congo or international actors can provide such assurances remains unclear, potentially leaving the withdrawal pledge unfulfilled.
The reference to U.S. requests for withdrawal indicates Washington maintains communication channels with M23 or its backers despite not formally recognizing the group in peace negotiations. This back-channel diplomacy may offer pathways for de-escalation but also highlights the complex web of relationships underlying eastern Congo’s conflicts.
For Uvira’s population, the withdrawal pledge offers hope for relief from violence but provides no certainty. Residents who fled during the offensive face difficult decisions about whether to return home or remain displaced, waiting to see if rebels actually depart and whether government forces can maintain control without triggering further fighting.
The broader humanitarian crisis, with 7 million displaced across eastern Congo, provides context for the Uvira offensive’s impact. Each new displacement wave adds to an already staggering population of people who have lost homes, livelihoods, and often family members to decades of conflict fueled by competition for mineral resources.
Eastern Congo’s mineral wealth—including coltan, gold, and other valuable resources—drives much of the violence as armed groups and their backers seek control over extraction and trade routes. Uvira’s strategic location makes it valuable not just militarily but economically, as whoever controls the city influences regional commerce.
The Trump administration’s warning about taking action against “spoilers” remains vague regarding specific consequences Rwanda might face for alleged peace deal violations. Whether Washington will impose sanctions, reduce aid, or pursue other punitive measures could determine whether diplomatic pressure successfully constrains the conflict or proves toothless rhetoric.
As the situation develops, the international community faces difficult choices about how to enforce peace agreements when signatories allegedly violate terms and excluded armed groups continue military operations. The M23 withdrawal pledge, if implemented, would represent progress, but the conditions attached and continued rebel presence suggest the path to lasting peace in eastern Congo remains uncertain and fraught with obstacles.
AP
