Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said that M23 rebels have not yet withdrawn from the strategic border city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), despite their earlier announcements.
Speaking on Sunday via videoconference at an ad hoc summit of regional leaders convened by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to review the security situation in eastern DR Congo, Tshisekedi said that “this so-called withdrawal corresponds neither to the facts nor to observations made on the ground.”
“Our information establishes that armed elements remain present in the city and its immediate surroundings, that strategic positions are still occupied, and that the population continues to be exposed to abuses,” Tshisekedi told the summit.
He added: “Certainly, a withdrawal was announced, but it is neither effective, nor verified, nor followed by the restoration of the authority of regular forces. It cannot be considered a genuine withdrawal,” stressing that “the credibility of any peace process rests on verifiable actions, not on statements made for convenience.”
By way of background, the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a rebel coalition operating in the east of the country that includes the M23, announced late last week that it had begun withdrawing its forces from Uvira, claiming the operation would be completed the following day, after a request by the United States, which is mediating the peace talks.
