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M23 Says It Will Withdraw From Uvira at U.S. Request

The rebel leadership tied the pledge to U.S. mediation, calling for Uvira's demilitarization under a neutral monitoring force.

Overview

  • The AFC/M23 announced a unilateral pullout from the strategic border city after seizing it on December 10 during a renewed offensive.
  • The communiqué sought demilitarization, civilian protection and neutral cease-fire monitoring in Uvira, while offering no timeline for implementation.
  • Clashes persisted south of the city near Makobola, and the advance now threatens Baraka and Fizi as Congolese and Burundian units fall back.
  • The United Nations and aid groups report dozens of deaths, at least 100 people wounded by gunfire and more than 200,000 displaced.
  • Rwanda is widely reported to support M23 though Kigali denies it, and most of Burundi’s 18,000 troops previously deployed have returned across the border.