Congo rebels agree to withdraw from Uvira after U.S. demand

Dec. 16 (UPI) -- A rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo said he and his forces will withdraw from the city of Uvira after the United States requested it.

Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, made a statement saying the group would withdraw from Uvira after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said capturing the city violated a peace deal, and the United States would "take action to ensure promises made to the President [Donald Trump] are kept."

Nangaa called the withdrawal a "trust-building measure."

The United States has said that Rwanda is backing the rebels, though Rwanda denied it. Rwanda President Paul Kagame signed a peace deal with President of DR Congo Felix Tshisekedi in Washington on Dec. 4.

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President Donald Trump called the signing "historic" and "a great day for Africa."

About 200,000 people have fled their homes in eastern DR Congo since the latest round of fighting started early this month, the United Nations has said.

At least 74 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, and 83 others have been hospitalized.

The rebels weren't part of the peace deal. They are working on a peace process led by Qatar, which has strong ties with Rwanda.

The Congolese army is backed by troops from Burundi. Rebel group M23, which is part of the Congo River Alliance, captured Uvira, which is 17 miles from Bujumbura, Burundi. Bujumbura is the country's economic capital near Lake Tanganyika.

"AFC/M23 will unilaterally withdraw its forces from the city of Uvira as requested by the United States mediation," Nangaa said in the statement. He said this is to give the Qatar peace process the "maximum chance to succeed." He didn't give a timeline.

Nangaa also requested a "neutral force" to monitor the cease-fire and block the Congolese army from regaining territory.

The State Department said in 2023 that Congo had about $25 trillion in mineral reserves, including cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese and tantalum, which are needed to make the electronic components used in computers, electric vehicles, mobile phones, wind turbines and military hardware.