Rebels to Withdraw from Uvira at Request of US Official

Wed Dec 17 2025 01:12:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant move amid ongoing tensions in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, rebel leader Corneille Nangaa has announced that his forces will withdraw from the strategic city of Uvira, responding to a request from the US government.

Rebel forces in eastern DR Congo, led by Corneille Nangaa, have agreed to withdraw from the city of Uvira at the request of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The decision follows allegations of peace deal violations after the city's capture by rebels. The US administration views this as a critical step toward stabilizing the region, with aspirations for increased investments in its mineral-rich territory. This withdrawal aims to facilitate a peace process mediated by Qatar amid a humanitarian crisis affecting over 200,000 displaced individuals in the area.

A rebel leader in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo says his fighters will withdraw from a key city at the request of the US.

Corneille Nangaa's statement came days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the capture of Uvira by rebel forces violated a peace deal, and the US would take action to ensure promises made to the President [Donald Trump] are kept.

Nangaa said that rebel forces would pull out of the city as a trust-building measure.

The US accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels. Rwanda denies the allegation, but its President, Paul Kagame, signed a peace accord on 4 December with his DR Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, at a ceremony in Washington hosted by Trump.

The US president hailed the deal as historic and a great day for Africa.

The rebels were not signatories to it - and have been taking part in a parallel peace process led by Qatar, a US ally that has strong ties with Rwanda.

Nangaa is the coordinator of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a coalition of rebel groups. It includes the M23, the most powerful force that European countries, along with the US, say is backed by Rwanda.

About 200,000 people have fled their homes in eastern DR Congo since the latest round of fighting started early this month, according to the UN, which also reports at least 74 deaths, mostly civilians.

The situation has been exacerbated by a history of conflict in the region. The Trump administration expresses hope that its peace initiative will enable enhanced US investment in DR Congo's estimated $25 trillion in mineral reserves, which include cobalt and lithium essential for modern technology.