THE rebel group which last week seized the Democratic Republic of Congo city of Uvira say they have begun withdrawing, promising to complete the pullout on Thursday, following pressure from the US.
The M23 group captured the strategic city near the border with Burundi, days after a “historic” US-brokered peace deal between Congolese and Rwandan governments aimed at ending the long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo.
However, DR Congo’s government says the reported withdrawal is a “diversion” and needs verification.
On Thursday morning some Uvira residents told the BBC it was not clear if the M23 were leaving, with some of their trucks still moving around the city.
The capture of Uvira sparked US condemnation and warning of sanctions against Rwanda. The US accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, which it denies.
M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa said on Wednesday that the withdrawal was “under way,” with spokesman Willy Ngoma adding that this was “for the sake of peace”.
In a post on X, Bisimwa urged mediators and international partners to ensure the city was protected from “reprisals, violence and remilitarisation”.
A local civil society member, who did not want to be named for his own safety, told the BBC that some M23 troops had started withdrawing. However, he said police officers from the same group were still moving in.
Another resident expressed doubts about the withdrawal.
“It seems they are still here. In fact, yesterday I saw them bringing in the police trucks,” the resident told the BBC on Thursday morning.
DR Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told the BBC Newsday programme that the M23’s announcement was meant “to distract the American mediation team, which is preparing to take measures against Rwanda”.
Muyaya described the M23’s decision to leave Uvira as a “positive sign” but said the government needed to confirm the situation on the ground.
Earlier he had called for “vigilance” in response to the “alleged withdrawal”.
“Who can verify it? Where are they going? How many were there? What are they leaving behind in the city? Mass graves? Soldiers disguised as civilians?” he said in a post on X.
The Uvira offensive left dozens dead, at least 100 wounded and more than 200,000 displaced, according to the UN. At least 30,000 civilians fled into Burundi.
It came despite the 4 December peace deal signed in Washington between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his DR Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, at a ceremony in Washington hosted by President Donald Trump.
The rebels were not signatories to that peace deal but they have been part of a parallel peace process led by Qatar, a US ally that has strong ties with Rwanda.