The M23 rebel coalition says it will withdraw from Uvira at the request of the United States, but reporters in the town still see fighters in place. The AFC called the pullback a "unilateral trust‑building measure" and urged guarantors to oversee demilitarisation and civilian protection. Analysts say the seizure was likely a negotiating tactic to extract concessions, while the advance raises fears of regional spillover and deepens an already severe humanitarian crisis.
M23 Says It Will Withdraw From Uvira at US Request — Fighters Still Visible as Ceasefire Falters
Maendeleo market in the South Kivu town of Uvira in the DR Congo, after members of the Alliance Fleuve Congo and the M23 took control of the town from the Congolese army, on December 15, 2025 [Stringer/Reuters]
The M23 armed group has announced it will withdraw from the strategic lakeside town of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) "as per United States mediation request," but reporters on the ground say fighters remain visible in parts of the town.
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) coalition that includes M23, posted a signed statement on X announcing the pullback. The coalition described the move as a "unilateral trust-building measure" intended to give the ongoing Doha peace process the best chance to succeed.
On-the-ground reporting: Al Jazeera correspondent Alain Uaykani, reporting from Uvira, said that by Tuesday morning "nothing had changed" and that M23 fighters were still present in some areas, raising questions about the timing and implementation of any withdrawal.
Coalition concerns: The AFC warned that previous withdrawals had been exploited by the Congolese army and allied forces to retake territory and, in some cases, to target civilians perceived as sympathetic to the rebels. The coalition urged the "guarantors of the peace process" to oversee demilitarisation, protect civilians and infrastructure, and monitor the ceasefire through deployment of a neutral force.
The capture of Uvira last week — a town on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in South Kivu province near the Burundi border — came shortly after a high-profile US-brokered agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali and amid a separate Doha framework agreement between the Congolese government and the rebels. Observers say the seizure undermined both the Washington accords and the Doha framework, which was agreed in November to halt fighting and ease the humanitarian crisis.
“We are taking a unilateral trust-building measure to give the Doha peace process the maximum chance to succeed,” the AFC statement said.
US reaction and political fallout: US officials and lawmakers responded strongly. US Senator Marco Rubio described the seizure as a "clear violation of the Washington Accords," and US statements warned of action to uphold the commitments made during the Washington talks. Rwanda denies backing the M23, though outside observers have linked the militia to Rwandan support.
Analysts' view: Paul-Simon Handy, East Africa regional director at the Institute for Security Studies, told Al Jazeera that the operation in Uvira appeared to be a negotiating tactic designed to create facts on the ground and pressure Kinshasa for territorial and economic concessions. He added that the withdrawal announcement likely reflects strong international pressure, particularly from the United States.
Regional and humanitarian risks: The advance into Uvira has pushed the conflict closer to Burundi — a country that has deployed troops in the eastern DRC for years — and raised fears of wider regional spillover. Fighting that flared in January has already killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of people, deepening an urgent humanitarian crisis in the region.
What to watch next: Implementation of any withdrawal, verification by neutral monitors or guarantors, and the deployment of an impartial force to protect civilians and infrastructure will determine whether the move helps salvage the Doha process or becomes another episode in a cycle of territorial gains and retreats.
