DR Congo: M23 Rebels Leave Strategic Positions in 'Gesture of Goodwill', Media Report

The Tutsi-led March 23 Movement, also known as M23, was formed in 2012, starting a rebellion which lasted until the following year. The group recuperated in 2017 and in 2022 it occupied large areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

M23 rebels have started to pull out from previously-seized territories in the eastern DR Congo, manifesting support of the peace process, according to media reports.

The militants left Kibumba, around 20 km from the city of Goma, handing positions over to the East African Community Regional Force.

"It is a gesture of goodwill that the M23 will make today," said Colonel Imani Nzenze, a military leader of the movement, adding: "It is in the name of peace and a gesture that is part of the recommendations resulting from the mini-summit of heads of state held in Angola in November 2022." He noted that he hopes "the government in Kinshasa will seize this opportunity."

The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, which Kigali denies. In November, leaders of the DRC, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola met in Luanda to discuss the peace settlement. They issued an ultimatum to M23, demanding ending hostilites and the group’s withdrawal from occupied territories.

The rebels responded that the summit's outcome "didn't concern" them, because the group was not present at the meeting. Roughly a week later, it was reported that M23 members had killed over 120 people in the town of Kishishe.

Later in December, the militant organization stated that it had talks with representatives of the DRC governmental army (FARDC), the East African Regional Force (EACRF) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) in the town of Kibumba.

Now, as the rebels have left the town, the EAC forces note that it is a "positive indicator."

"The M23 withdrawal and subsequent takeover by East African Regional Force in areas under control is a positive indicator that the agreed upon strategy of restoring normalcy in the Eastern DRC remains on course," said General Jeff Nyagah, EAC Regional Force Commander.

The Luanda meetings came amid the more global EAC-mediated DR Congo peace efforts, which also included the Kinshasa talks, concerning peace mediation between the Congolese government and over 50 rebel groups. A new meeting on the matter will be held in January, this time in the DRC.