DR Congo president disputes M23 rebel withdrawal from Uvira

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has forcefully rejected claims of a withdrawal by M23 rebels from the strategic eastern city of Uvira, declaring that fighters from the armed group still hold the area. His statements, delivered via videoconference at a regional security summit convened by Uganda, directly challenge the narrative put forward by the rebel Congo River Alliance (AFC) and complicate fragile peace talks for the conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A Contested Pullout and Regional Diplomacy

The M23 rebel group, which captured Uvira in South Kivu province on December 10 after intense clashes, had announced a pullout last week as a "trust-building measure" following U.S. mediation. However, President Tshisekedi told regional leaders, including Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, that ground intelligence tells a different story. "Our information establishes that armed elements remain present in the city and its immediate surroundings, that strategic positions remain occupied, and that the population continues to be exposed to abuses," he stated. He emphasized that an unverified withdrawal "cannot be considered a real withdrawal," arguing the credibility of the peace process depends on verifiable actions.

Calls for Verification and Mounting Humanitarian Toll

In response to the conflicting accounts, regional ministers concluded that a neutral verification mechanism is urgently required. Ugandan official John Mulimba announced that Kenyan and Zimbabwean presidents would lead implementation of peace initiatives and stated a "regional force should now come in as a neutral force to go and do the verification." The political dispute unfolds alongside a severe humanitarian crisis, with recent fighting displacing over 200,000 people in eastern Congo. This violence persists despite a peace agreement signed earlier in December between Presidents Tshisekedi and Rwanda's Paul Kagame.

Broader Conflict and Accusations

The situation in Uvira is a microcosm of the wider instability in eastern DR Congo, where M23 controls vast territories including major cities. The United Nations and the Congolese government in Kinshasa consistently accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing the rebel group, a charge Kigali denies. The recent clashes were accompanied by mutual accusations between Congolese and Rwandan forces of ceasefire violations. As regional mechanisms attempt to take center stage, the verified status of Uvira remains a critical test for any durable resolution to the long-running conflict.