The M23 rebel movement has declared a unilateral withdrawal from the strategic eastern Congolese city of Uvira, responding to a formal request by U.S. mediators as part of intensified international efforts to salvage faltering peace deals in the region. 

In a statement on December 15–16, 2025, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) said it would pull its forces out of Uvira as a “trust-building measure” designed to support ongoing negotiations, particularly the Doha peace process and to give it the “maximum chance” of success. 

The group also called for demilitarization of Uvira, protection of civilians and infrastructure, and deployment of a neutral monitoring force to oversee the ceasefire once its forces withdraw. 

Uvira’s capture earlier this month by M23 had alarmed regional leaders and international partners, undermining confidence in the recently U.S.-brokered Washington Accords signed by the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. 

Senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, publicly accused Rwanda of violating the Washington peace agreement by facilitating the M23 offensive, a charge Kigali denies. Washington warned of potential sanctions and restrictions on military cooperation if commitments were not met. 

The offensive, which began in early December, triggered intense fighting, significant civilian displacement and humanitarian distress in eastern Congo. Local officials say tens of thousands of people fled Uvira and surrounding areas as conflict intensified, pointing to the risk of broader regional instability. 

While M23’s announcement is being seen as a possible de-escalation, it remains unclear when and how the pullback will be implemented or who will take control of Uvira afterward. The Congolese government has yet to issue a formal response to the withdrawal declaration. 

International efforts now focus on reviving the Doha and Washington peace frameworks, which aim to end decades of conflict in the mineral-rich east of the DRC, although both have been strained by recent battlefield developments.