M23 Withdraws, Ending Occupation of Uvira in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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One month has passed since the Rwanda-backed M23 group announced its withdrawal from the town of Uvira, Congo. The decision came after the U.S. administration heavily criticized the seizure of the town as a threat to the peace process brokered by Washington, which marked the latest escalation in the conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Located in the north of Lake Tanganyika, in the South Kivu, Uvira is a port city and a strategic location as it serves as a point of connection between the DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi. The insurgent group seized control of the town in early December following a rapid offensive. The escalation marked an unexpected setback after Congo and Rwanda ratified, on December 4, a U.S.-brokered deal aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo, which also opened the mineral-rich region’s resources to U.S. markets. The United States reacted to the escalation, deeming the seizure of the town a violation of the Washington Accords.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Rwanda that the U.S. was ready to take action, leading the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), the rebel coalition that includes M23, to announce its withdrawal. While M23 was not directly involved in the Washington negotiations, it is considered a Rwanda proxy and participated in parallel talks with the Congolese government in Doha.

The withdrawal was announced as a “unilateral trust-building effort” from M23, however the transition did not proceed smoothly or peacefully as hoped by the U.S. administration. The fighting continued, leading Congo to accuse the group of practicing looting inside the town. On January 19, the Congolese army and pro-Congo militias managed to retake control of Uvira, entering the town after more than one month of occupation. The announcement came from Mak Hazukay, the Congolese army spokesperson, stating that “The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are continuing their deployment in Uvira and surrounding areas to consolidate their positions and secure people and their property.”

As reported by Al Jazeera, the fighting had profound repercussions on the town, leading to hundreds of deaths. Unexploded bombs, major displacement, and devastation have been assessed as the outcome of the conflict, and the number of deaths remains unverifiable, while Congolese authorities claim to be in the hundreds.  Meanwhile, the neighbouring country of Burundi was faced with more than 80,000 refugees forced to relocate by the offensive, creating a humanitarian emergency as confirmed by the UNHCR. Humanitarian organizations including Human Rights Watch expressed deep concerns over the status of the civilian population. The Organization reported that during the offensive, hospitals and health centres were overwhelmed, while humanitarian aid recently plummeted due to financial cuts.

The New York-based group warned that serious human rights violations took place during the occupation, and that executions have been taking place at the hands of M23. Meanwhile, the international community condemned the seizure of Uvira, leading UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to issue a call for deescalation. The UN Security Council condemned the act and adopted unanimously a resolution which extended the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) for a year.

At the time of writing, Uvira appears to have been fully restored under the control of Congolese forces. However, despite efforts by the international community and the U.S. diplomatic initiative, regional stabilization has yet to be achieved. In the meantime, the Uvira crisis, the latest episode in the bloody struggle in the region, has left behind death, devastation, and thousands of displaced people in a matter of weeks.

written by Silvio Gabrel Varago