AFTER the M23 militant group announced they were leaving the city of Uvira in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, they officially started pulling their troops out of the area.
Alain Uaykani/Xinhua
The announcement that the forces had begun their withdrawal was made yesterday evening, December 17, 2025, by the group's spokesperson, Willy Ngoma, who stated, "Our forces have started leaving Uvira this afternoon."
Local sources and representatives from civil society groups have also confirmed the withdrawal.
They said M23 soldiers are leaving the city and moving north.
However, the Congolese government's spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, warned that caution is still needed in the area because of the group's withdrawal.
The M23's decision to start withdrawing came under pressure from the United States, which had previously helped oversee a peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda.
Despite this, M23 continued their activities and still controlled Uvira.