Fighters from the AFC/M23 rebel group have withdrawn from several positions in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local media and officials, in what authorities describe as part of an ongoing peace process.
The pullback began earlier this week from multiple areas in North Kivu’s Lubero territory, including the towns of Lunyasenge, Bukununu, Musiya, Katondi, and Kipese, Radio Okapi reported, citing security sources.
After leaving the locations, the rebels reportedly regrouped in nearby areas such as Alimbongo, Kirumba, and Kanyabayonga.
North Kivu Governor Evariste Kakule Somo said he observed an “effective withdrawal” on the ground, urging residents to remain calm and describing the move as part of the implementation of peace agreements, including those brokered by the United States.
In December 2025, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame signed a peace and economic deal aimed at ending the conflict, following earlier US-mediated talks under Donald Trump.
Despite the reported withdrawal, the situation on the ground remains volatile.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka accused Congolese forces and allied militias of carrying out overnight attacks using “kamikaze drones” in the Mikenke area, claiming the strikes killed two people and injured another.
There has been no official response from Kinshasa to the allegations.
The M23 group remains a central actor in the conflict in eastern Congo. It controls large swathes of territory, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which it captured in early 2025, and is widely accused of receiving backing from neighboring Rwanda—an allegation Kigali denies.
The latest developments come amid ongoing efforts to stabilize eastern Congo after months of intensified fighting between rebel forces and the Congolese army.