On the afternoon of December 16, 2025, the AFC/M23 coalition announced that it would withdraw from the city of Uvira, which it had controlled for several days. This unexpected decision caused confusion among residents and journalists, as the statement emphasized that the safety of civilians was a top priority.
Deputy spokesperson of AFC/M23, Dr. Oscar Balinda, explained the reason for this move, saying, “This decision was made to prioritize peace. We want our talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Doha, Qatar, to yield the desired results.”
Dr. Balinda added that key mediators—including the United States, Qatar, and the African Union (AU)—would assist in protecting residents while AFC/M23 troops withdraw from the city. He further explained that this requires the DRC forces, Burundi troops, Wazalendo, and FDLR not to return to the area.
Yannick Tshisola, head of Corneille Nangaa’s office within AFC/M23, confirmed that this decision does not mean they are surrendering or engaging with FARDC forces, Burundi troops, or Wazalendo. However, there is a plan to deploy independent security forces to protect residents, though the identities of these forces have not yet been disclosed.
📰 Also Read This:
As of the morning of December 17, reports from Uvira indicate that daily life continued as normal. The exact timing of AFC/M23’s withdrawal remains unknown but will be determined once the mediators finalize security arrangements.
The decision to delay the withdrawal is based on events in Nturo in 2022 and 2023, when East African Community (EAC) leaders decided to remove fighters from key areas they controlled to protect civilians.
In January 2023, the fighters were placed under the authority of the EAC Regional Force (EACRF) peacekeeping troops.
Following the EAC leaders’ decisions in 2022, by January 2023, AFC/M23 had withdrawn nearly 80% of its fighters from controlled areas, assuring that the remaining civilian population would be protected.
The EACRF peacekeeping troops were responsible for safeguarding all areas previously under AFC/M23 control and preventing any attempts by DRC forces, Wazalendo, or FDLR to enter these zones, using the organization’s military resources if necessary.
However, Burundi troops within EACRF appeared to neglect this duty, allowing the DRC government to operate in the areas they occupied in Masisi territory, where civilians were subjected to abuses.
In October 2023, Wazalendo and FDLR forces attacked the village of Nturo in Masisi, predominantly inhabited by Congolese Tutsi, burning over 300 homes, citing the residents’ origins as justification.
Nturo residents reported that Burundi troops offered them no protection during the attack, instead instructing them to flee to areas controlled by “their elders” before encountering AFC/M23 fighters.
Tuyishime Aline said, “When we reached the Burundians, they told us not to flee to them. They said if we meet our elders, we should ask, ‘Who are they?’ They gave no other guidance and chased us. We hid in the bushes.”
She continued: “A Burundian soldier pushed me, and I pushed back. I fought him, telling him I wasn’t going to die. There were many explosions and houses burning. I said, ‘This is impossible. I’m going where they hide, because we have nowhere else to go.’ I was about to enter a building, fleeing the bullets.”
Historical evidence shows that Burundi troops often failed to honor commitments to AFC/M23. By late 2023, when the DRC expelled EACRF troops, Congolese Tutsi civilians were left extremely vulnerable with no protective forces remaining.
AFC/M23 then decided to withdraw its fighters from the Rumangabo military base, redeploying them to areas affected by previous conflicts. The withdrawal was not easy, requiring limited armed confrontations to maintain control over key zones.
The city of Walikale experienced similar situations. After assistance from Qatar in Doha peace talks, AFC/M23 removed its fighters from the city, requesting that DRC and Wazalendo forces not return. However, shortly after, the forces re-entered, showing that trust between the parties was still fragile.
By late June 2025, AFC/M23 withdrew from the Doha talks, fearing the DRC would not honor agreements, but later returned after receiving assurances that their concerns would be addressed.
On July 19 and November 15, 2025, AFC/M23 and the DRC government signed peace agreement, including the release of 700 detained AFC/M23 members, although the timing of their release remains unknown.
This withdrawal from Uvira marks the beginning of a new process of rebuilding trust between the parties and protecting residents in a city long affected by conflict.
While residents await the next steps, arrangements have been made to deploy dedicated security forces to ensure Uvira’s safety is not compromised.
