News|ConflictM23 announces exit from DRC’s Uvira as US-brokered ceasefire stuttersRwanda-backed rebels say they will withdraw from eastern town they seized last week after request by US mediators.

The M23 armed group has agreed to withdraw from the town of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following a request from the United States. This decision comes after the group seized the town last week. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) rebel coalition, which includes M23, confirmed the withdrawal in a signed statement, emphasizing compliance with the mediation request from the United States.

Despite the announcement, reports from Uvira indicate that M23 fighters were still present in the town as of Tuesday. The coalition has expressed concerns that past withdrawals have been exploited by the Congolese army and its allies to reclaim territory and target civilians perceived as sympathetic to the rebels.

The capture of Uvira by the Rwanda-backed militia had threatened a US-brokered peace agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali, signed recently in Washington, DC, as well as a framework agreement for peace signed in Doha, Qatar. The coalition described the withdrawal as a "unilateral trust-building measure" designed to maximize the success of the Doha peace process. They have called for the oversight of demilitarization and protection of the town’s population and infrastructure, as well as monitoring of the ceasefire by a neutral force.

US Involvement and Strategic Considerations

The Doha framework deal, established in November, sets a roadmap to end the conflict and improve the humanitarian situation in the DRC. This framework was based on a declaration of principles signed in July, which did not address M23's withdrawal from the country. The United States has expressed readiness to take action to ensure compliance with the peace agreements, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticizing Rwanda for allegedly violating the accords.

The decision by M23 to withdraw is viewed as a tactical move intended to influence negotiations with the DRC government. The withdrawal announcement is likely a response to strong reactions from the US. Analysts suggest that the rebel group's actions have been a tactic to create leverage in negotiations by taking control of territories and then withdrawing.

There are concerns about the potential for regional conflict, as the situation in Uvira has brought tensions close to Burundi, which has historically maintained a military presence in the eastern DRC. This development has raised fears of further regional spillover of the conflict, which has resulted in significant casualties and displacement in the region.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.