Kinshasa: Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi announced on Sunday that M23 rebels have not withdrawn from the strategic border city of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, contradicting their earlier claims of retreat.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a rebel coalition in eastern Congo that includes the M23, declared last week that it had commenced withdrawing its forces from Uvira. They claimed the withdrawal would be completed swiftly following a request from the US, which has been mediating peace talks.
Tshisekedi, speaking via videoconference at an ad hoc summit organized by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni to address the security situation in eastern Congo, stated that the withdrawal claims do not align with the observed realities on the ground. He emphasized that armed elements remain in Uvira and its surroundings and that strategic positions are still occupied, endangering the local population.
Ugandan President Museveni expressed his optimism on US social media platform X, noting the commitment of regional countries to collaborate for peace and stability in the Great Lakes region. However, Tshisekedi insisted that an unverified withdrawal that does not restore regular forces' authority cannot be deemed credible.
Uganda's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, John Mulimba, spoke to reporters after the summit, revealing that Kenyan President William Ruto and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa have been assigned to lead existing peace initiatives. Mulimba highlighted the necessity of verifying the claims made by both the M23 rebel group and the Congolese government regarding the situation in Uvira.
The recent conflict between rebels and government forces has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 200,000 people. These developments follow a peace agreement signed on Dec. 4 between Congolese President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame aimed at halting the violence in eastern Congo.
Despite the agreement, Congo and Rwanda continue to exchange accusations, with Congo blaming the Rwandan Defense Forces for recent offensives and Rwanda accusing Congolese and Burundian forces of ceasefire violations. The M23 rebel group still controls significant territory in eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, with accusations of Rwandan support for M23 being denied by Kigali.