Residents in eastern DRC say Rwanda backed M23 fighters remain in the town of Uvira despite an earlier announcement that the group would withdraw, raising doubts about the credibility of the pledge and ongoing mediation efforts.
Locals said armed fighters were still visible on Wednesday around government buildings and along major roads in the town near the Burundi border. Several residents reported that M23 elements continued to control key areas, including neighbourhoods and access routes, with no clear signs of a pullout.
An M23 spokesperson told media that the group was prepared to leave Uvira, but only if its conditions were reconsidered. The spokesperson said civilians needed protection and argued that the town should be secured by what was described as a neutral force.
The group had announced earlier this week that it would withdraw as a confidence building step to support international efforts to mediate an end to the long running conflict between M23 and DRC government forces. That announcement followed renewed diplomatic engagement involving regional and international actors.
However, DRC authorities dismissed the withdrawal claim as a tactic to deflect pressure from Rwanda, which Kinshasa, the UN and several Western governments accuse of backing M23. Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting the group.
A senior government official described the announcement as a distraction aimed at influencing ongoing mediation and possible international measures. Meanwhile, the army said fighting continues on a daily basis across parts of North Kivu and South Kivu, where M23 has made rapid territorial gains this year.
Residents in Uvira said the situation on the ground has not changed since the withdrawal statement, with fighters still stationed from the Kavimvira roundabout through the city’s districts and near the port of Kalundu.