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Uvira (Congo), Dec 18 (IANS) Fighters from the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group 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.

The M23 had claimed control of Uvira last week, a city that once served as the temporary administrative centre for South Kivu province. On Monday, the group announced its decision to "unilaterally withdraw its forces" from Uvira at the request of US mediators, calling it a confidence-building measure to support the ongoing peace process.

However, the 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) -- a politico-military coalition allied with the M23 -- described the withdrawal as "conditional," demanding security guarantees. These include the deployment of a neutral force to prevent reprisals against civilians following their departure.

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

Since March this year, several rounds of negotiations between the M23 and the Congolese government have been held under Qatari mediation, known as the Doha peace process. This led to the signing of a Declaration of Principles in July, which set a target date of Aug. 18 for concluding a peace agreement, a deadline that has since passed.

According to the statement, the pullout from Uvira was carried out at the request of the United States mediation. The movement added that it took the initiative "despite continued provocations and abuses" by the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and their allies.

--IANS

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