Windhoek: Fighters from the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group on Wednesday began withdrawing from their positions in Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a Xinhua reporter observed on the ground.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the M23 had claimed control of Uvira last week, a city that once served as the temporary administrative center for South Kivu province. On Monday, the group announced its decision to “unilaterally withdraw its forces” from Uvira at the request of U.S. mediators. This move was described as a confidence-building measure to support the ongoing peace process.

However, DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya dismissed the announcement as a “diversion.” In a statement on Monday evening, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which is allied with the M23, described the withdrawal as “conditional” and demanded security guarantees. These include the deployment of a neutral force to prevent reprisals against civilians following their departure.

The decision to withdraw came after recent progress in the Doha peace talks, including the signing of the Doha Framework Agreement in November. The M23 announced its intention to initiate a “unilateral trust-building measure” to give the Doha peace process the maximum chance to succeed and pave the way for a lasting solution to the conflict.

Negotiations between the M23 and the Congolese government began in March under Qatari mediation, resulting in the July Declaration of Principles and the November framework agreement. However, the target date for a peace agreement on August 18 passed without resolution.