The DRC released 15 detainees to fighters from the Congo River Alliance/March 23 movement (AFC/M23) in a transfer facilitated by the ICRC. The convoy left Beni, passed through Uganda and reached Rutshuru in North Kivu, where the detainees were handed over. Qatar described the move as a confidence-building step, while accusations that Rwanda backs M23 persist and are denied by Kigali.
DRC Hands Over 15 Detainees To M23 In First Prisoner Transfer Under Qatar-Brokered Deal
M23 rebels after seizing the eastern city of Goma, DRC, January 30, 2025 [File: Moses Sawasawa/AP]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has released 15 detainees to fighters from the Congo River Alliance/March 23 movement (AFC/M23) in the east of the country, in what international monitors describe as the first known prisoner transfer implemented under a Qatar-mediated agreement.
Transfer Details
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the handover after months of negotiations to agree the list of detainees to be released. The 15 people consented to the transfer and departed the government-held city of Beni in a convoy on Thursday evening. The convoy travelled through Uganda before arriving in Rutshuru Territory in North Kivu, where the detainees were handed over to AFC/M23 on Friday, the ICRC said.
Context And Reactions
M23 seized the regional capitals in both North and South Kivu from the Congolese government in early 2025. The release of detainees was one of the conditions set out in the Qatar-brokered agreement signed in September as part of efforts to halt the fighting and open space for dialogue.
"We hope that this operation will help bring relief to families who have been separated from their loved ones for a long time," said Stephanie Eller, head of ICRC operations in Kinshasa.
Qatar welcomed the handover as an important confidence-building step. In a statement, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the release could help create "favourable conditions for further progress towards reaching peaceful and sustainable solutions" and urged both sides to build on the momentum.
Meanwhile, the DRC, the United Nations and several Western governments have repeatedly accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons—allegations Kigali denies. The transfer is unlikely by itself to resolve broader regional tensions, but observers say it could help foster more dialogue if further confidence-building measures follow.
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